BIONICLE - Phase 01: Advent - Part V: The Bohrok Invasion
by MakutaMutran
Summary: With Makuta and his Rahi defeated, the island of Mata Nui seems safe...momentarily. But a new appearance of elementally-bound foes threatens the Matoran, one in numbers never seen by their protectors. Fighting some of their own powers, the Toa face off with thousands of invaders led by a pair of driven minds with one goal for the future of the island of Mata Nui: destruction.
1. Chapter 1

**Beginning Editor's Note: I do not claim to own the Bionicle characters or the majority of these plot points. The material here is simply an edited and compiled version of original Bionicle material. Between books, comics, games, animations, instruction booklets, etc. it is hard to get the full story. Here, comics and video games etc. have been transcribed in novel form and fully integrated into one chronological read. The poetic liberties of novelization and editing are all I can claim. **

**Please follow/favorite/PM in order to let me know if you think this project is worth continuing, or use the forum I made to discuss any questions and feedback on this project. I already have the vast majority of Bionicle lore done and streamlined, but am starting with just a few parts to see how the initial reception goes. **

**These five parts constitute material from the very beginning in 2000 all the way through the end of 2002, constituting what I've called "Phase 01: Advent." **

**Thank you, and please continue to enjoy the wonderful and vast story of Bionicle... **

* * *

_Sequel to "Bionicle - Phase 01: Advent - Part IV: The Great War"_

The Toa couldn't contain their joy. Finally! Out of the darkness of the tunnels, safe from Makuta and his minions, free to enjoy the sunlight and beauty of the island of Mata Nui. Except…

"I wonder what Makuta has in store for us next," Gali said, and a shadow settled over the group.

Tahu nodded. None of them knew much about the dark being known as Makuta. The six Toa had arrived on Mata Nui remembering nothing but their names and a few snippets of confusing and frightening dreams. But they soon learned of their duty—to protect the island and its people from the powers of darkness. The Fire Toa touched his mask, feeling the energy humming beneath its golden surface.

"I bet Makuta is deep-hiding now that he's seen our fight-power," Lewa said, puffing out his green chest proudly. "He won't soon fear-challenge Mata Nui again."

"Such bragging seems unwise _and _unnecessary," said Kopaka, in a cold voice.

Onua was about to agree—in a gentler way—when he sensed the ground tremble beneath him. "Quiet," he ordered abruptly raising a hand to the other Toa.

Tahu, Lewa, and Gali paused and glanced at him. "What is it?" Lewa asked eagerly. "Do you feel something? Hear something? Is it Mata Nui awakening, do you think?" The Toa had never forgotten their ultimate goal: to awaken the spirit of Mata Nui. Now that Makuta's Rahi had been vanquished, there seemed to be nothing standing in their way.

"I don't know." Onua frowned, focusing his mind on the earth below him. Now it came again—a shudder, as if the entire island were shifting in its sleep.

The next tremble was stronger. "Whoa!" Gali shouted. "Brothers, if this _is_ Mata Nui, I fear he's in a very bad mood!"

The earth shuddered again, with a grinding of stone against stone and the creak and roar of falling trees and tumbling rocks. Onua braced himself against a nearby swell and closed his eyes as yet another spasm shook the land. _Could this be Mata Nui? _he wondered. _Or have we awakened someone_—_or something_—_else? _

X X X

The creature, deep in slumber, felt the trembling of the earth.

It awoke. This time, there was no mistake.

_It is time. _

As the thunderous vibrations rocked the cave, another creature stirred, and another. Dozens upon hundreds…upon thousands.

They shook off their long, deep sleep. Energy poured through them, along with absolute knowledge. Their duty waited. It was time.

_It must be cleaned. It is time. Clean it all. _

_It is time. All obstacles must be removed. _

_Clean it all. It must be cleaned. _

_It is time. _

X X X

A few hours ago, Mata Nui was peaceful and quiet. Now, the ground shook and caused the Toa to question the safety of their home. From every side came the sounds of ancient trees falling, rivers boiling away, and mountains crumbling to dust.

One question now burned in the mind of each Toa, one which Toa Lewa voiced: "What is happening? I thought-reasoned we had finished our quest?"

Kopaka merely looked from his surroundings to his fellow Toa. "Victory might have been an illusion, Lewa."

"Look!" Pohatu shouted, pointing at a figure revealed by the falling trees in a nearby brush. "It's one of Tahu's villagers!" He recognized the grey armor and red Kanohi as those of a Ta-Matoran.

Tahu leaped forward, surprised to find anyone from his fiery village of Ta-Koro so far from home. The Matoran was lying on the ground, his legs trapped by a fallen tree branch. He seemed stunned, and was muttering one word over and over. Quickly freeing the villager, Tahu leaned closer, trying to hear him. As he came close he recognized the villager as the Ta-Matoran, Kapura. "Speak," he said. "What brings you so far from Ta-Koro?"

Kapura was still babbling, not making any sense. He paid no attention, just kept muttering that same word.

"What's he saying, Tahu?" Gali asked.

The Matoran seemed unaware of the Toa's presence. He stared blankly ahead, his eyes cloudy with terror. "_Bohrokbohrokbohrokborhok,_" he muttered tonelessly.

"What?" Pohatu stepped closer, looking confused. "What is it? What's he saying?"

"Little brother!" Lewa said loudly, touching the Matoran on the shoulder. "What is it? What's wrong? We're here to help you."

Kapura didn't react. He hardly seemed to pause for breath as he babbled on in the same rapid, frightened voice. "_Bohrokbohrokbohrokbohrok…" _

"What's he saying Tahu?" Onua questioned.

"One word, over and over," Tahu reported, standing from his kneeling position. "_Bohrok. _I must return to Ta-Koro immediately."

"We shall _all _go, Tahu," Gali spoke up for the group.

Onua nodded. "If there is a threat to your village, it is a threat to _all_ our people."

Tahu accepted with a quick bow of his head. Then, slinging the Matoran over his shoulder, he gestured for the others to follow. He raced through the trees and meadows toward the foothills of the Mangai Volcano, using the special power of speed thanks to his Golden Kanohi. The others were close behind him, each similarly using their obtained Kanohi.

"I have just one question," Pohatu said after a few minutes. The Toa had quickly crossed the flatlands and foothills and were now climbing steadily toward the village perched near the topmost slopes of the mountain.

"What's that, Pohatu?" Gali asked.

"What's a Bohrok?" Pohatu wondered.

Tahu, who was still in the lead, skidded to a halt. He stood on a ledge overlooking the village of Ta-Koro. When the team stopped behind him, only Lewa could find his words. "I fear we have just found out."

X X X

The Toa gaped in amazement at the sight of the fire village before them, nearly unrecognizable. In the distance, Ta-Koro rose against the rocky slope of the mountain, its stone gates and magma buildings unharmed…but the plain before it was in ruins. Thick black smoke poured from piles of rubble and gouges in the earth. Trees and plants had been ripped out by the roots and tossed about like toys. Near the gates, frightened villagers milled around, shouting and crying with panic. Haphazard clusters of ice spikes jutted out of the ground, piles of boulders marked the sites of rock slides, and new craters had formed in the fiery ground, spewing out uncontrolled fires.

"What could have caused this?" Lewa whispered to Gali worriedly.

Gali pointed. "There! Look!"

Here and there, clumps of the attackers, in various hues, were still present. Dozens of strange creatures were moving across the plain—large two-legged armored beasts with powerful-looking claws. Some were silvery-white and some bronze, and a few were much smaller than the others, but all scuttled about like enormous insects. As Lewa watched, several of the bronze beasts gathered together, then stormed straight into a small hill, leveling it to the ground.

Tahu saw Turaga Vakama rushing toward the assembled Toa. He set the still-stunned Matoran on the ground. "Stay here," he said firmly, hoping the villager understood. The he assured Vakama, "We'll deal with this!"

The others were already rushing forward to stop the strange creatures. Lewa reached one of the silver-colored ones just as it headed toward a small clump of trees. "They…they don't look-seem like any Rahi I know. Let's see how these things fare-stand up to a cyclone!" He leaped into the air in front of the creature and breathed in, preparing to summon the winds to his aid. But before so much as a breeze had stirred, the creature moved forward, letting out an unearthly screech. Lewa reeled as an icy blast of cold air struck him. "What? Ice?" he cried, struggling to remain in the air. But it was no use. He was frozen in a block of ice, unable to move or even levitate. He crashed to the ground with a thud. He got to his knees, only to see that several of the things had surrounded him.

"Away from him, creatures!" Tahu cried defiantly, leaping forward and dragging Lewa out of harm's way. Lewa shook off the ice, which melted quickly near Tahu's sword. He jumped to his feet, ready to face the creature again. But the creature showed no interest in him. Instead it uprooted a tree and then moved on toward a large lava hill.

"This is crazy," Onua called from somewhere nearby, off to the side. He and Pohatu observed the different colors and their behaviors from an overlook. "They aren't harming the villagers; they ignore us unless we get right in their way! So why all this chaos?"

"I don't know," Pohatu said. "But we have to stop them!"

Everywhere Lewa looked he saw more of the strange creatures. "But how?" he exclaimed. "There are so many of them!" Even as he asked, Lewa created a cyclone, but one of the creatures blasted him with ice, freezing him and dispersing his attack. Tahu levitated over using the Miru power of his Golden Kanohi, and dispersed the creatures using immense heat, melting the ice in the process, similar to the first fight.

Onua turned to see that another breed of the creatures showed, this time to create an avalanche directed at Pohatu. They lifted their shields, from which waves of energy emitted. Onua's connection to the earth told him it was time to leave. "Pohatu! Their powers are causing an avalanche!" he shouted.

"Huh?" Pohatu turned, having still been facing the opposite way. There was no time to be polite and say it a second time, and elemental powers might not have been fast enough. "Move!" Onua roughly tacked Pohatu while using his Golden Kanohi to give him incredible speed. They left the ledge just before it exploded and rocks fell on it from above. Instinctively, the two then used their Golden Kanohi to levitate to safety and avoid much more damage.

Tahu knew they had to do something equally creative and fast if there was any hope of saving his village. Suddenly he had an idea. "Their strength lies in their numbers!" he cried. "We need something that will target them all at once! Lewa! Gali! Combine your powers! The rest of us will hold them off."

One of the attackers ran toward Pohatu, who caught it and used his mask to give him loads of strength. He picked it up and shoved it hard into the wall behind him. "Close monster, but not close enough!" he taunted.

Meanwhile, Gali and Lewa did as they were told. Raising their arms, the two summoned the winds and the rain.

"Water!" Gali cried, raising her hook.

"Wind!" Lewa yelled, lifting his axe over his head.

As dark clouds gathered and electricity crackled, they shouted in unison, "Together, we can summon the might of the storm!" Soon a mighty storm raged above the peak. Bent by their collective will, an enormous blast of lightning rocked the valley in front of the village. More followed, causing explosions here and there as well as precision strikes against the foes. Every time one of them tried to cause more destruction, it was struck by lightning. Even when groups formed to add strength, it only made them a bigger target.

Tahu noticed the effect. "They're fleeing! Gali, Lewa—it worked!"

The aggressors were tossed high into the air, sparking and shrieking. As they landed, they scuttled for shelter. Soon all had disappeared. All but one. It lay damaged and stunned, legs waving weakly in the air.

"They're gone for now," Pohatu commented, bending over the injured creature, "and they left us a prisoner, too…but what's in it's head?"

The others gathered around for a better look at their new enemy. The sloping, transparent shield plate that covered its head had been thrown back by the impact. A glowing, green object lay inside. It was a mostly flat object with a different texture and material makeup than the rest of the being. It pulsated slowly.

Before they could figure out what it might be, a voice spoke from behind them. "I know the answers you seek, Toa of Stone, though I wish I did not." It was the leader of the villagers of Ta-Koro.

"Turaga Vakama!" Pohatu said with a bow. "I thought you fled for safety. What is this? What are these creatures?"

The Turaga sighed. "We have known the legends of the Bohrok for centuries, and we prayed they were only legends…but the Bohrok are real—all too real. And they are swarming over all of Mata Nui." He looked out at the destruction: fires just starting to die down, jagged ice pointing out from the ground, and avalanches disturbed.

"Tell us more," Tahu ordered, stepping forward to face his village's Turaga. "We need to know what we face."

Vakama nodded. "It is said the Bohrok sleep an eternal sleep, waiting to hatch. Once awakened, the swarms are unstoppable—a force so powerful, they can reduce mountains to rubble and turn life-giving rivers dry as the desert sands. Worse, these creatures do not work alone."

"Right," Pohatu said. "They have those smaller creatures with them—like little scouts or something."

"Those are the Bohrok Va," Vakama said. "And you are right—they are smaller, quicker creatures that act as scouts and couriers. But that's not what I meant. You see, each Bohrok carries within it a Krana."

"That?" Kopaka asked, pointing to the glowing object inside the disabled Bohrok. "Is that the Krana?"

"It looks like a strange kind of mask," Pohatu observed.

"Yes," Vakama said. "It gives them purpose and power. Their Krana are their greatest strength—but also their greatest weakness." He pointed at the object on which Pohatu had commented. "Even the mightiest of Bohrok can be humbled if parted from its Krana."

"These Krana," Tahu said. "Do they come from Makuta?"

Vakama shook his head. "That we do not know," he said. "The legends do not offer an answer."

"And the different colors?" Onua asked.

"There are six different breeds of Bohrok, and each constitutes an entire swarm, its number innumerable," Vakama explained. "Some of these you met here today. These, then, are the swarms of the Bohrok: the white Bohrok like the one that had blasted Lewa with icy breath are known as Kohrak; the bronze-colored ones are the Pahrak, who would turn the mountains to crumbling stone; there are also the treacherously stealthy blue-colored Gahlok, who hide beneath the waves and strike when least expected, as masters of the flood tide; the fiery red Tahnok are capable of melting through any substance with their heated fire shields; while the powerful black-armored Nuhvok lurk below the surface and dig mazes of tunnels to weaken the structures that stand above; and, most feared and dangerous of all, are the green-hued Lehvak, whose acid venom could dissolve even through solid rock."

"Alright," Lewa said when the Turaga paused for breath. "Enough fear-talking. What do we do to defeat these Bohrok?"

"Just six of those sound bad," Pohatu said, discouraged. "But…armies?"

"Turaga, do you know any path or secret to their defeat?" Kopaka asked.

Vakama pointed again at the pulsating Krana in the disabled Bohrok. "Now that the swarms have awakened, only one hope remains," he said. "You must collect the eight breeds of Krana from each Bohrok swarm. They will unlock the secret to the Bohrok's defeat."

"Eight breeds of Krana?" Gali asked. "What do you mean?"

"Like the Bohrok themselves, the Krana serve different purposes," Vakama explained. "Each type looks slightly different. The one you see there is one of the Krana Xa, the swarm commander." He gestured to the disabled Bohrok again. "You must gather one of each type of Krana from each of the six swarms."

"What are the eight breed-types of Krana?" Lewa asked.

Vakama proceeded to explain once more: "Krana Bo belong to sentinel Bohrok, allowing them to see in the dark; Krana Ja classify a Bohrok as a scout, giving them a radar ability to detect distant obstacles; Krana Ca identify a Bohrok as a clearance worker, giving it the ability of limited shielding from attacks; Bohrok with a Krana Za are squad leaders, helping to maintain order within the collective body of Bohrok—they have the ability to communicate telepathically with others in the swarm, as well as the ability to read the minds of others."

"In short, night vision, radar, shielding, and telepathy thus far," Kopaka summed up.

"In addition to their other elemental powers?" Gali asked again, already knowing the answer, but needing to satiate her bewilderment.

"Please finish, Turaga," Pohatu said. "What are the other four like?"

"Of course, Toa of Stone," Vakama nodded. "Bohrok Su are the primary workers in the swarms, possessing a Krana Su which gives them enhanced strength. Krana Yo make a mole Bohrok, able to tunnel through nearly every substance known on Mata Nui. Bohrok Vu are known as the primary surveyors, with their ability to fly short distances. And, last but highest ranking of all, are the Bohrok containing Krana Xa, identifying them as a swarm commander, possessing a much higher intelligence than the others, formulating and executing plans for their mission of destruction."

"But why collect them? All forty-eight?" Pohatu asked. "What will that tell us?"

"The knowing will come," Vakama replied. "That is all that has been foretold."

Tahu grimaced. _The knowing will come. _The Toa had been hearing that phrase since arriving on the island. He grabbed the Krana inside the fallen Bohrok. It was warm and squishy, slightly heavier than it looked. For all intents and purposes, it really did look like an oddly shaped mask, though slightly smaller. He stared at it, wondering how something so small could cause so much damage and devastation. "How do you know so much about these creatures, Turaga?"

"There will be time later to reveal all, Toa of Fire," replied Vakama, in his typical unsatisfying way.

Tahu turned to his team. "Return to your villages," he told the others. "If gathering these Krana will save Mata Nui, then that's what we'll do."

"Let's hope they do not gather us first," Kopaka said, already leaving. "Farewell."

"What do you mean?" Gali asked, her question momentarily stopping the Toa of Ice. "We can't split up now—not when a new danger threatens Mata Nui. Didn't we learn anything from the fight against the Rahi, the Shadow Toa, Makuta himself? We are much more powerful when we're all together. Unity—"

"—Duty, destiny," Tahu said impatiently, finishing the common Matoran phrase. "Yes, I know. But if these things are all over Mata Nui, we need to meet them wherever they are."

"Tahu is right," Kopaka said, turning back to his original stride. "My village needs me. I must go there."

Gali was so surprised to hear Kopaka agreeing with Tahu that she couldn't speak for a moment. "Alright," she said at last. "Perhaps we should see to our own villages…but be careful. And let's plan to meet again soon."

As the others nodded, Vakama held up his hand. "A warning before you go, brave Toa," he said urgently. "Beware the Krana! When worn, they can steal the mind…and even you Toa might not be able to resist such terrible power."


	2. Chapter 2

_Wall of History, Record 1—Victory Party Cancelled_

**NEW FOE SURFACES IN TA-KORO**

_Celebrations of the Toa's recent victory were cut short today when swarms of unknown creatures appeared in Ta-Koro, with the apparent purpose of leveling the village. "They came out of nowhere," said Turaga Vakama, still visibly shaken from the encounter, "Luckily, we reached the Toa in time!"_

_During the attack, Turaga Vakama had the presence of mind to send for the Toa, who were still recovering from their remarkable victory over Makuta in Mangaia. Tahu, Kopaka, Lewa, Onua, Gali and Pohatu rushed to the aid of Ta-Koro just in time to avert certain disaster. The Toa managed to use their powers to disable the swarm of creatures known as "Bohrok."_

_"Before the Toa arrived to defeat Makuta," explained Turaga Vakama, "we [the Turaga] had hoped there wouldn't be anything worse than the Rahi. Today we were proven wrong."_

_"Apparently, the Turaga have always sure-known the legend-tale of the Bohrok," explained Lewa grimly. "Now we get to seek-find out the reality of the swarms."_

_-Takua, The Chronicler-_

X X X

Pohatu was the first of the Toa to reach his own village. Po-Koro was located in the barren, rocky desert. The Po-Matoran had built sturdy dwellings of rock and sand that blended in with the desert's craggy peaks and blowing dunes. As he drew near Po-Koro, Pohatu realized that the land before him looked much different than the last time he'd come this way. "Bohrok," he muttered grimly. The village was in danger—even from this distance, he could see the Bohrok swarms moving along the Path of Prophecies, closer and closer to the gates of Po-Koro.

Pohatu raced forward. "So we're playing host to the Pahrak, eh?" he murmured. "Well, I'm not feeling very welcoming right now." He leaped over a fallen monument and looked around. Turaga Onewa was struggling against a Pahrak, trying to keep it from knocking over another monument. But the insect-like creature hardly seemed to notice the blows. It pushed past the Turaga and crashed against the tall carved stone.

"Stand aside, Onewa!" Pohatu cried, racing toward the Pahrak. Using his golden mask's strength ability, he slammed into the Pahrak, knocking it a good length away from where he and the Turaga were standing.

"Pohatu!" Onewa exclaimed with relief. "It is good to see you…especially now."

Pohatu flashed a rueful grin. "It's good to feel so loved, my friend," he quipped. "Quick now—the monuments are already lost. We need to focus on protecting the village itself."

Onewa nodded. "I will alert the others. We will protect the village gates—whatever it takes." With that, he hurried off.

The Toa turned back to the swarm of Pahrak. They were everywhere—too many to count. "Gather the Krana," he reminded himself in a murmur. "That's the key. We need those Krana."

Pohatu leaped onto the back of a nearby Pahrak. He held on tightly as the Pahrak bucked and leaped, trying to dislodge him. Its moves were slow and easy to manage—until it marched toward one of the monuments, an intricately carved arching stone. The Pahrak ducked beneath, scraping the Toa off on the overhanging stone.

"Oof!" Pohatu cried as he hit the ground. "Alright, so you want to play dirty, eh, Pahrak?"

The Pahrak took no notice of the Toa or his words. It was already trying to topple another monument. Dusting himself off, Pohatu raced past the creature. He stood on the other side of the stone and leaned against it. The great stone trembled against his hands as the Pahrak on the other side shoved at it.

Taking a deep breath, the Toa of Stone stepped back and then leaped forward, aiming a powerful kick at the center of the stone. The great monument toppled forward immediately, and there was a shriek of surprise from the other side…followed by a crunch.

The enormous stone crashed to the earth—with the Pahrak trapped underneath. "Sorry, my ugly friend," Pohatu said, stepping forward and wrenching the headplate off the creature. "I'm afraid you have something I need." He carefully lifted the glowing green Krana from within. He was pleased to see that it was slightly different in shape from the one they'd found back in Ta-Koro. _Good_, Pohatu thought. _That's one more toward the set of Pahrak Krana we need. _

He tucked it into his belt and leaped back into action, heading for the next Pahrak. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when he heard a shout from above.

"More are coming!"

He glanced up and saw that the shout had come from the lookout post atop the village gates, where a villager was scanning the horizon. The Toa of Stone thrust his mighty hands into the stone wall itself and swung himself up to the lookout. Another swarm of Bohrok was heading toward the village. They were Lehvak, judging by their bright green color and the way they melted everything in their path by shooting acid out of their curved claws.

"What do we do?" the Matoran asked.

Pohatu's heart sank. Though he had been successful in gaining a few more Krana, he'd been unable to drive off the Pahrak swarms. And now there would be more…. But his voice was steady as he replied, "What else can we do, little brother, but let them come, and fight them when they get here?" Then he leaped down to meet the Lehvak, ready to defend his village and his people.

X X X

The route to Gali's village took her through Lewa's jungle-covered range. As she entered the moist shade beneath the tree canopy, she paused to listen. She heard only the normal sounds of dripping water and rustling wind. Still, Gali sensed that something was not right in the jungle.

_There are disturbances, _she thought unconfidently. _Strange pulsations…. _Whatever it was, it was crashing through the underbrush, heading in her direction. A moment later she felt a blast of heat, and a dead tree trunk nearby burst into flames.

"Tahnok," Gali muttered sourly as more than a dozen red figures burst out of the woods. She paused, watching as one of them breathed a column of flame at a lush Vuata Maca tree. The intense heat scorched parts of the trunk, but the dripping branches didn't catch fire. The Tahnok rammed the tree, but the Vuata Maca's deep roots held against the assault. Other members of the swarm were having similar problems.

"Not so easy for you here, huh, my Tahnok friends?" Gali said with sly amusement. "This place isn't suited for your brand of mischief."

The Tahnok Va at the head of the swarm paused, and for a moment Gali thought it meant to turn and attack her. Instead, it stood for a moment with its firestaff held aloft. Then it turned and scampered off toward the northwest.

"Going to visit Pohatu, are you?" Gali said. "Somehow I don't think he'll appreciate the social call. Maybe I can thin the numbers a little before you get there." Grabbing a vine, she swung after the Tahnok swarm, which was following the fire Bohrok Va. When she landed in front of them, they paused only momentarily before continuing on their way, clearly intending to bulldoze over her.

But the Toa of Water was already gathering her energies, calling upon the elements to answer her. A moment later a rainstorm pelted down on the Tahnok, extinguishing their flame. The creatures gnashed their teeth furiously, darting beneath the trees for shelter. Soon the already swampy ground was puddled and soft. The Tahnok at the head of the swarm scurried forward onto a particularly marshy spot. Gali held her breath, waiting to see if her plan would work. As the Tahnok took another step, she smiled as it began to sink, its powerful legs trapped by the sucking, wet soil.

The creature shrieked in annoyance, struggling to pull its leg free. As it did so, another leg got caught in the mire. Soon it was trapped, unable to move forward or backward. Every time it tried, it only sank deeper. Now it would be easy for Gali to retrieve its Krana. She wrapped a sturdy jungle vine around the Tahnok and lifted its headplate.

Soon she was holding the Krana in her hand. It felt warm and alive, unlike the Tahnok itself, which had stopped struggling as soon as the Toa grabbed its deep blue Krana. "I see," she murmured thoughtfully, staring at the Tahnok. "The Bohrok themselves do not really live—they are merely vehicles for the true life force of the Krana."

Gali wasted no more time. She raced for the coastline, anxious to see what was happening in Ga-Koro. She resolved that once she had made sure her villagers were safe, she would return to the other Toa. Perhaps together they could figure out a way to stop the Bohrok invasion—before there was nothing left to protect.

X X X

Kongu turned over a leaf, scanned the dirt, and then walked on. He knew he had left his bamboo disk around here somewhere. For being a commander in the Le-Koro Gukko force, he sure did order a lot of replacement disks. This time, he was determined to just find the old one.

Going a few more paces away, the Matoran turned another leaf, finding something very surprising. It was metal and mechanical, and when he moved the brush it turned to look at him. Its red eyes glowed as it started approaching.

_What kind of beast-Rahi is this? _he wondered, already running back to the village. _Maybe wise-Turaga knows…I will tell him! _

He navigated quickly through the forest to the village, and then quickly through the village to Matau. "Turaga! I just saw an odd-looking Rahi. It was a metal, stout-short—"

"What you saw-learned was a Bohrok, Kongu," Matau replied. "The legends speak-told, and we did not know-listen, but they are here-now. Quickly, take Tamaru with you and flee to the other villages—warn them. They must know of the new harm-threat on our island! Return here with quick-speed. We will need all our high-fliers."

_I will do that wise-elder, _Kongu thought, trying to keep worry from entering his mind. _But what will you do? _

X X X

In a matter of several hours, the Bohrok brought chaos to Mata Nui. Like a thunderstorm they would strike, only to disappear again. Now the Tahnok have come to the domain of Pohatu—turning mountain ranges to molten magma. They moved swiftly, certain that nothing could stop them…for nothing ever had.

The energies of the Krana Ja within the pack alerted the Tahnok to Toa lying in wait ahead. The telepathy of Krana spread the news to the rest of the troop: "_Alert! Obstacles! Avoid or remove." _

Other creatures might have fled from the might of the Toa and seek a safer site on Mata Nui.

The Tahnok, however, were not "other creatures."

No, the Tahnok were nothing like anything else that has ever walked Mata Nui…except perhaps for the beings who thrived deep in these shadows—the twins coordinating the swarms.

_The Bohrok will carry out their tasks well, _thought one.

_Yes. Soon our mission will be complete, and we may rest again, _thought the other.

_Mata Nui will be as it was in the Before-Time, _the first thought with anticipation.

_Mata Nui will be restored at last,_ the second confirmed.

As the two telepathic beings conversed, their minds traveled, overseeing the operations of the swarms. First they saw rows of Tahnok Va on the march, ready to restore Krana and scout new sites for cleaning. The second sight was a newly awakened batch of Gahlok Va, marching through the underground tunnels. Next were Kohrok Va, using their spikes to climb steep cliffs.

_Many Kohrok and Pahrak have lost Krana that must be replaced—accidents, errors, _one being thought.

_Is the mission endangered? _the second asked.

_Of course not, _the first reassured, _for nothing exists on Mata Nui to interfere with our work._

The last sight the two beings observed was quite an interesting one. This particular swarm member was a Lehvak Va scurrying through underground tunnels as well but in place of one of its usual swords for cutting through plant growth, it held in its hand a much rarer and intriguing object: a shiny, pristine, powerful, Golden Kanohi Hau.

_Nothing at all, _the second agreed, encouraged by the sight.

X X X

In Po-Wahi, the desert sun shone down on the carving of a totem. But such an obstacle must be removed. Suddenly, dark soot-filled clouds obscured the entire surrounding sky and embers flew through the air, right before the totem was melted by a fiery blast. Now that it was removed, the Tahnok could proceed.

X X X

From the village of Po-Koro, the large cloud of smoke could be seen from kios away, appearing in the distance behind the Path of Prophecies.

Turaga Onewa came upon a rise of the village's citadel wall, with Huki and Hafu approaching on his flanks, also looking at the dark horizon. "We cannot resist them," the Turaga said, earning concerned looks from the two villagers. "They are too many and too powerful." The Matoran turned to look back at the smoke, while their leader hung his head. "We must abandon Po-Koro."

The two Po-Matoran looked at him and then each other, shocked. "But how?" Huki finally asked. "If we leave town we have to go straight through them—the main gate is the only way out!"

"It's also the only way in," Onewa replied. "If we could find a way to block it…" He and the two Matoran again surveyed the path to the village, noting the large Matoran statues that gave the definitive appearance of the Path of Prophecies.

Onewa looked at Huki. Hafu scratched his head, wondering at first what the two were thinking. They turned to look at Hafu, who glanced back and forth between the two, then at the path, and then back to them. He realized with a jolt what they were going to ask. "I cannot topple my own creations!" he protested, with a swing of his arm. "There must be another way!"

"There is none," Onewa responded. "And you are the only one with the skill to do it." He gestured back to the valley. "The Tahnok will be at the main gate soon…I will gather a company to escort you." With that, the stone elder turned and left.

Hafu watched him go, sadness and anger mixing together in him. He turned to one of his closest friends in Po-Koro. "Huki…" he began.

But his friend simply lowered his head. "I'm sorry about this, Hafu. I will tell Onewa that I will lead the company." He nodded before taking some steps away. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you." With that, he left.

Hafu turned back to admire his pillars of significance to the Matoran culture one more time. Then, sighing his resignation, he turned back to the village.

X X X

Back in the village, Onewa had already prepared the inhabitants to leave, and Huki had gathered members of the Po-Koro Guard to escort Hafu—Allye and Piatra would accompany him while Pekka would go with the exodus. Suddenly, a Po-Koro sentinel from the citadel wall cried out, "A sneak attack!" He sounded the village alarm. "They're at the gates NOW!"

The Matoran looked to the gate of the village, seeing it glow red hot before exploding open from the outside. Huki and his guard members prepared their disks and weapons. "No! We're too late!" he said.

Huki squinted through the bright colors of heated stone and waited for Bohrok to appear, but instead, he saw two statues fall over. He blinked in surprise, seeing more fall. He heard a cry from the wall again, "It's Hafu! He made it out!"

Huki quickly made it up the staircase to the watchtower with the guard. "He's knocking down the statues!" the Matoran said. Huki watched as Hafu felled yet another statue, hitting it just right to send it toppling over. "But—he's trapped! He can't get back in!"

Huki's eyes widened in shock. "Hafu!" He yelled, crying out in anguish, reaching helplessly out to his comrade. "Noooo!"

Hafu, meanwhile, took a few deep breaths from his work. He felt hot, and was getting hotter. Then a shadow fell on him…a Tahnok's shadow.

X X X

_Wall of History, Record 2—Tahnok Surround Po-Koro, Matoran Lost in Fray_

**HAFU HAILED AS HERO**

_Hafu, the famed carver from Po-Koro, was trapped outside the village today in a desperate attempt to protect his home and fellow Matoran from a rapidly approaching Tahnok swarm._

_"The last I saw, the fire Bohrok were closing in on him," explained Huki, "but the smoke and the ash were so thick that no one was able to see what happened."_

_Scouts from Po-Koro had spotted the Bohrok earlier, but the swarm was moving so quickly that Turaga Onewa had no time to evacuate his village. The only alternative was to block the entrance to Po-Koro by using the stone carvings on the Path of Prophecy. Hafu, the carver who created the Path, volunteered to topple the giant stones in order to save the village. Turaga Onewa was gathering Matoran to protect Hafu when he heard the commotion._

_"The Tahnok reached us much faster than we anticipated," said the Turaga of Stone. "Fortunately, Hafu kept his head and acted quickly. His bravery may have saved the village."_

_When asked if he thought that Hafu would be found, Turaga Onewa reassured the villagers, "Pohatu, along with Gali and Kopaka, have been defending Po-Wahi against a particularly fierce group of Tahnok—which is why we had a much smaller swarm to face today. I'm confident that once Pohatu returns, he will find Hafu and bring him back to us safely."_

_Toa Pohatu was present at the beginning of the attack, fighting against swarms of Pahrak and then Lehvak. He had to leave just as the Tahnok swarm was first spotted. All of Po-Koro hopes he will be able to return as soon as possible._

_-Takua,_ _The Chronicler-_

X X X

Hafu looked up at the fiery Bohrok looming over him, the small hammer in his hands trembling. From where Onewa, Huki, Piatra, and the sentinel watched on the citadel, they could no longer see through the fire Bohrok's surrounding smoke. On the ground, the Bohrok take a step closer to the helpless Matoran.

"Onewa, let me go!" Huki requested.

The Turaga of Stone shook his head. "I'm sorry, Huki. It is too late. We cannot save him."

Huki didn't want to watch, even if he could have. The Bohrok could easily use its fire power on his friend, but he knew what was coming might actually be worse. The Turaga had warned of the Bohrok's ability to enslave another to the swarm via its Krana. Now, the Tahnok's headplate flipped down as it prepared to do that to Hafu.

The fire Bohrok launched its Krana, but Hafu vanished. A gust of wind occurred, moving a small sandstream off to the side. At the end of the sand, skidding to a stop, was Toa Pohatu. He was holding Hafu, with his Golden Mask gleaming in the sunlight. Pohatu looked down at the Matoran. "I can't leave you guys alone for a minute, can I?" he asked with a smile and a wink.

Hafu smiled back, then turned back to the Bohrok, which were now coming closer to the two.

"Hm. Maybe I should have thought this one through a little better," Pohatu muttered to himself. Five Tahnok surrounded them, with more marching close behind. Pohatu looked around for a way to escape. Behind them, toward the village, he noticed a seesaw like rock formation. It was tilted upward away from them, toward the village, supported by a rock underneath.

Getting a clever idea, Pohatu changed masks to his Noble Kanohi Komau, a weaker Mask of Mind Control. He and his comrades had found five Noble Kanohi as well as five Great Kanohi in their quest for the masks. Not long after the start of the Bohrok Invasion, though, Onewa had given those extra assets back. _And we need them, too, _Pohatu thought. "Help us, Huki…" he mumbled as he focused in on that Matoran's mind, establishing a link and sending a mental suggestion.

Hafu looked at the Toa, confused, but up on the citadel wall, Huki stirred and shook his head. The Po-Matoran looked around for the right size boulder, then got up on the ledge of the wall.

"What is it?" Onewa asked, as the other two Matoran watched.

"Must…concentrate," Huki said. He looked at the stone, then back at Pohatu and Hafu below. "Relax and focus. Just like on the field." He backed up a few steps. "No…" He ran forward and kicked with all his might. "…PROBLEM!"

Pohatu changed masks back to his Golden Kakama. "Time to go!" he yelled to Hafu, grabbing the Matoran once again. Huki's flying stone broke through the support of the seesaw, sending it rocking the opposite way. As it did so, the Toa backed up onto the seesaw. The rocking motion of the stone sent the Toa and Matoran flying fast through the air, up and over the wall of Po-Koro. Onewa, Piatra, Huki, and the sentinel turned their heads as pair levitated through the air toward them, courtesy again of Pohatu's mask.

"Nice shot!" Pohatu congratulated Huki. As Huki and Hafu embraced each other, the Toa of Stone walked back to the wall with the others. "But…now what?" he asked.

Down below, the Tahnok were on the move once again, if nothing else, more determined than ever to melt Po-Koro into uninhabited flatland.


	3. Chapter 3

_Wall of History, Record 3—Hafu Saved in Daring Rescue_

**POHATU RETURNS HERO TO SAFETY**

_Pohatu returned to his village just in time to save the Matoran, Hafu, from certain doom at the hands of a swarm of Tahnok (so quickly, in fact, I had just finished scribing my last record that it was time to come back and document this!). The fire Bohrok had surrounded the helpless Matoran just outside of Po-Koro, but using the powers of his Kanohi, Pohatu snatched Hafu out of danger and returned him to the village unharmed. _

_Hafu was in a precarious situation after attempting to block the Tahnok from entering Po-Koro using his very own Path of Prophecies carvings. Sacrificing not only his art, but potentially his life, Hafu ventured from the safety of the village to dismantle the famed statues. The statues blocked the entrance from the Bohrok, protecting many Matoran from a potential disaster. The villagers of Po-Koro watched in horror from the gates as Hafu disappeared from sight._

_"I knew the Toa were close by, and chances were good that Pohatu would be returning soon," explained Turaga Onewa, "and like a Toa, he was here to help us in our darkest hour!"_

_The grateful Po-Koro Matoran were overjoyed to have Hafu back in the village._

_"The Tahnok are still out there," said Huki, "but we're just glad to have Hafu back safe and sound with us!"_

_-Takua, The Chronicler-_

X X X

A nasally sounding horn echoed through the motionless drifts of Ko-Wahi. The sound echoed off the icy walls of glaciers, Matoran-made stairs and paths, and the famous Three Brothers Bridge to ring through the ice region. The horn called a tune, a recognizable melody of alarm and alertness.

Inside Ko-Koro's building known as the Sanctum, Turaga Nuju stood in his conical dwelling toward the northmost rear of the building. Around him, visible in the glow of torchlight, were Matoran inscriptions covering the walls, and Nuju's ice pick leaning against a nearby wall. Nuju spoke for a moment in his own unique language.

Next to the Turaga of Ice, Matoro translated, one hand in the air, "Nuju respects and admires your sense of duty. He warns, though, that you are unprepared for a confrontation on the ice. While he appreciates your will to protect us, he fears it is you who may need protection."

"With respect, Turaga, I must object," Jala replied. "Although my guard and I have yet to fight in Ko-Wahi, we are prepared to face the Bohrok. Turaga Vakama sent us to ensure all of the villages remain safe." The Ta-Matoran boldly raised a fist. "We will do all in our power to aid in the defense."

Nuju sighed, then gave another answer. Matoro watched him, then turned back to Jala. "So be it. Nuju implores you to use caution."

Jala bowed in respect and acknowledgement to the elder, then left. Back outside the Sanctum in the main courtyard of Ko-Koro, Jala came upon three of his guard members—Kapura, Maglya, and Tergzu—in conversation, their weapons stored on their backs. Kapura and Tergzu were long-time guard members, but Maglya was a temporary recruit; his true occupation was lava farming, but the Bohrok Wars had called for more hands to enlist in the military forces than ever before. Jala gave the three of them a simple nod, indicating they would be staying in the ice village for the time being rather than returning to Ta-Koro. The three of them simultaneously nodded back at him.

Jala gave an upward glance, checking the sun's position relative to the snowy peaks. "Night shall fall soon. We must be prepared. Kapura," he pointed, "you must keep watch while we set up camp."

Kapura gave a smooth nod while Maglya and Tergzu walked off to start a fire. Then Kapura left to patrol the entryway to the clearing of snow they occupied. After a long time of standing in front of the trench that led to the clearing before Ko-Koro, any other being would have bored after two minutes, looking down the same long stretch of trench. Its enclosing walls and winding path underwent little change as Kapura stared them down. But Kapura was a patient Matoran, one who appreciated the long and drawn-out quiet more than others. He stood dutifully with his forked guard spear, waiting for a sign of danger.

Suddenly, the Ta-Matoran felt a feeling arise in his throat. It was a nagging sensation, induced by the frigid air passing against its walls on its way in and out of his lungs. Finally, he couldn't hold off the sharpness any more, and breathed in deep…to cough. The vibrations of his throat felt good, but he blinked in suspense. The sound had echoed throughout the canyon and disturbed the monotony.

Up high, a portion of snow fell with a rumble, shaking Kapura from his feet onto his backside. _That was close,_ he thought, relieved that the movement had come from snow, not Bohrok. _I'd better head back to tell the others—they might think we are under attack. _

X X X

Back at the small camp of the Ta-Matoran guard, a heat stone had been placed in the center of a carry canister. Maglya, already close, took two more baby steps ever closer to warm the back of his hands. Jala and Tergzu stood next to him, taking in what heat they could.

Suddenly, a tremor rocked them all, nearly throwing Tergzu off his feet. Maglya grabbed his spear and Jala readied his disk. "An earthquake?" Tergzu asked, righting his black Komau.

Maglya looked at him with concern. "Perhaps," Jala thought, more willing to believe in this era that anything threatening was an intentional attack. "Come, we must reunite with Kapura." He pointed and began leading the way away from the camp when a sudden voice stopped him.

"I am here."

Jala turned around to see Kapura there. He put his disk away and faced the gaurd.

"I too felt the tremor, but no threat appeared at the gate," Kapura reported. "I made a noise, and accidentally created a snowfall."

Maglya and Tergzu exchanged a look, thinking the same thing. _That must have been a big snowfall… _

Jala turned back to the heatstone. "Hm. Perhaps it was nothing then," the Captain said with a shrug.

Just then, Matoro appeared, stopping his run at their camp. "The time has come for your bravery to be tested," the Ko-Matoran said, fear in his eyes. "The Bohrok swarm approaches!"

Jala shook his head, explaining, "It was only a small tremor. Kapura was at the gate, and no Bohrok appeared."

Matoro answered, "They do not come through the gate. They come through—"

An explosion of snow and ice erupted from the center of the group. All five Matoran were thrown off their feet. The heatstone at the center of the small area went flying away, melting a small pile of snow to water before the surrounding cold finally embraced and disabled the stone.

Matoro, on his back, pushed himself up into a leaning position facing the site of the eruption. Smoke, dirt, and ice crystals obscured his view for a few seconds more. Once it cleared, a black Bohrok stood, eyeing him sinisterly. It cocked its glass-covered head at the Ko-Matoran, then reached toward him with one of its earth shields. Before it touched him, though, another tool of metal deflected it—Tergzu's guard staff. The Ta-Matoran now stood between Matoro and the Bohrok.

Kapura and Jala got back on their feet, regrouping. "Nuhvok," the Captain stated. "Vakama spoke of their ability to tunnel beneath the earth."

"What are we to do?" Kapura asked him.

Jala readied his disk. "A Bohrok can only be defeated by dislodging its Krana." His eyes narrowed in focus, and then he let his projectile fly. Distracted by Tergzu and Matoro, the Nuhvok never saw it coming. The disk knocked the headplate open, temporarily stunning the Nuhvok. Jala hurried over and collected his disk, storing it away again. Then he reached into the Bohrok and pulled its light green Krana out.

He meant to return right back to the others a few bio away. But, just a passing glance at the thing in his hand was enough to make his eyes lock on it. It squirmed and squished in his hard grip on it, eager to get out of this captivity. The eye holes on this alien thing stared back at him, inviting him… _The Bohrok seem strong, _his mind wandered. _Maybe I could be, too… _He stood unmoving, only blinking twice at the strange organism.

The Ta-Matoran's absent thoughts were cut off by another tremor that rang through the mountains. He looked left and right, seeing Kapura, Maglya, Tergzu, and Matoro shaking from the unstable ground. Then, all around the Ko-Koro clearing, three, four, _five_ more openings appeared in the icy sustenance, all of them with Nuhvok clawing and climbing out of them. Much more of this, Jala knew, and the very foundation of the village would be destroyed—along with its inhabitants.

X X X

Onua was walking through a tunnel that led toward the village of Onu-Koro. _These Bohrok will stop at nothing until Mata Nui has been completely leveled, _he mused. _But why? _

He paused, hearing a faint sound from somewhere off to the left. Listening close, Onua frowned. That didn't sound like any digging or mining tool he knew. "Bohrok," he murmured. "I wonder where you are? Let's see if we can find a shortcut…" He listened for another second or two, and then struck with his fists. He broke through the tunnel wall, burrowing straight through the solid earth. He burst through a moment later into a cavern that lay just a few hundred bios from the arched stone gates of Onu-Koro. The place was crawling with the dark, smooth shapes of the Bohrok. As Onua watched, a pair of creatures drilled a series of short tunnels into the wall on the far side of the cave. The wall shuddered and shifted.

"Hey!" Onua cried. But it was too late. The wall and the ceiling above crumbled and fell in on itself, raining debris onto the ground. The Bohrok moved onto to another spot a few bios away. The rest of the swarm were drilling in other spots along the wall—if Onua didn't stop them, they would bring down the entire cavern.

Nuhvok. That was what the Turaga had called them—swarms of Bohrok that tunneled deep underground, destroying the island from the inside out.

Onua leaped forward, grabbing the nearest Bohrok. It let out a hiss of annoyance and tossed him away. Surprised at the creature's strength, Onua resumed his attack. "Don't think you can get away with that." This time he grabbed the creature by one of its legs, flipping it head over heels. The Nuhvok's headplate struck a rock and flipped open. "That's more like it," Onua said, grabbing the glowing bright-green Krana inside and peeling it free. He left the Nuhvok and moved on, glancing at the Krana as he did. Its shape was slightly different from the one Tahu had removed outside Ta-Koro.

Over the next few minutes, he managed to gather several more Krana. It wasn't an easy task—the Bohrok were strong, and whenever one came to another's aid Onua quickly found himself overpowered. Several times, only the Nuhvok's slow reactions saved the Toa from disaster.

"This is taking too long," he said. As long as there were so many of them, so totally focused on destruction that they couldn't be distracted…. Onua suddenly stood up straight. He had an idea—a way he might be able to use the Bohrok's own focus against them. Glancing out of his tunnel, he noted that the Nuhvok were methodically taking down the dozen or so stone columns that helped support the cavern's roof. They seemed determined to destroy each column and collapse the entire cavern.

Dodging the slow-moving creatures, which ignored him as usual, Onua raced to the center of the room, where a cluster of columns still stood. _I just need a few seconds…. _He quickly dug a trench in the floor, a skinny moat surrounding the group of columns.

Then he waited.

It wasn't long before several Nuhvok turned their attention toward the remaining columns. One moved toward them, pausing on the lip of the trench in apparent confusion. Onua leaped forward and gave the creature a shove. It let out a shriek of dismay as it toppled over, skidding straight into the trench. "Now let's just see if I calculated the width correctly," Onua murmured.

The Nuhvok fell about halfway to the bottom of the trench before the narrow walls stopped it. The creature struggled, its limbs waving helplessly…but it did no good. It was stuck between the walls of the trench. "This is almost too easy," Onua said, stepping forward and yanking back the Nuhvok's headplate. He jumped back as the creature's clawed arm swung toward him, nearly connecting with his head. "Hey, I said _almost_," he added, ducking back in just long enough to grab the Nuhvok's Krana.

Luckily the Nuhvok swarm seemed to have more determination than brains. Several more fell for the same trick, and before long Onua had a full set of Nuhvok Krana, which glowed a bright green. "There," he said. "That wasn't so—"

A sudden scream echoed through the cavern. Onua spun around and saw a small Nuhvok Va careening toward him. He leaped aside, preparing to fight off its attack. But the creature ignored him. It stopped in the middle of the cavern, still emitting its high-pitched screech. All the Nuhvok stopped what they were doing immediately and turned to face the Nuhvok Va. Then, as if with one mind, they all scattered in different directions. Within seconds, the cavern was empty except for Onua.

The Earth Toa stared after them in surprise. _What had made them run away like that? _He hurried on until he reached the outskirts of Onu-Koro and gazed across the tunnel that encircled the village. The caverns he could see on the other side looked normal, and Onua let out a breath of relief, glad that his village had escaped the swarms.

X X X

_Clean __it __all… _

_It must be cleaned… _

_These tunnels must be filled… it will help clean. _

Peaceful lightstones casting a bright glow in an Onu-Wahi tunnel were interrupted, without warning, when a swarm of Gahlok sent a wave of water through the tunnel, flooding it entirely. Seconds later, several Gahlok jetted through the water past those blotted out and now-dying stones.

_Clean it all… _

X X X

"Whenua!" Onua shouted, calling for the Turaga as he raced into a spacious cavern. "Whenua, where are you?"

The Turaga appeared almost immediately. "Toa Onua!" he called out with a little bow. "It is good to see you. The people are worried—we've heard terrible rumors—"

"What you've heard is most likely true. The Bohrok swarms have emerged, and they are on the move. I'm glad to see that Onu-Koro has so far been spared…and I intend to keep it that way if I can. I've just chased off a swarm of Nuhvok."

"If anyone can protect us, Toa Onua, it's you. Young Nuparu just left for the surface to see whether—"

"Shh," Onua hushed him in midsentence. _What was that? _He'd felt a vibration, a sort of rumbling….

With a blast of sound and fury, a raging tidal wave roared into the cavern from the next tunnel, sweeping away villagers, stones, and earth. Onua was blown off his feet by the force of the first wave. It smashed him against the rock dwellings behind him, and he scrambled for a handhold as he felt the wild current yanking him away again.

_Must_—_hold_—_on…_ he thought grimly as his earth claws slid across a smooth surface. He couldn't see a thing—the water had knocked his mask askew, blocking his vision. But just as he felt his body being swept back upward, the Earth Toa's hands found a stone bar. Whatever it was, he gripped it tightly, praying that it was strong enough to withstand the rushing water.

After several endless seconds, the water receded as the flood thundered on into deeper tunnels. Onua clambered up the cave wall for a better look at the damage. What he saw made his heart sink—the water hadn't had much effect on the basic structures, since they were carved out of the cave wall, but all the decorations and special touches the villagers had added to their dwellings had been swept away or destroyed. Light posts had been knocked askew, their lightstones scattered. All sorts of debris floated on the water's surface.

Whenua looked out from the doorway where he'd clung through the flood. "We'd better find out if everyone's alright and get to the surface. It's not safe to be here—if another wave of water comes, it could fill this cavern to the ceiling."

Onua nodded. "Good plan. On the surface, we can seek out the other Toa and their villagers. The strength of these swarms are in their numbers—we need numbers on our side as well."

X X X

Lewa rode an air current and then grabbed a vine, moving quickly through his territory of Le-Wahi. Onward, he bounded toward Le-Koro. _Matau and the villagers are courageous and capable, brave-hearted and resourceful, _he thought, _but I still pray the Bohrok haven't reached Le-Koro yet. _Lewa knew that without him they would be no match for the Bohrok swarms.

Landing easily in the highest branches of a Madu tree, Lewa peered ahead. Smoke was drifting lazily up into the sky from the vicinity of the village. Quickening his pace, the Toa of Air leaped from tree to tree, wondering how to protect the treetop village from attack. _Perhaps it's as Tahu often says_—_the best defense is a good offense, _Lewa told himself. _I could gather some of the village's best wind-riders and do a little cloud-sneaking to find the enemy before it finds us. _

A stray breeze wound its way through the trees as Lewa neared the village. Tipping his face up to feel it, he launched himself through the air, catching the breeze and allowing it to guide him softly to the ground. He landed by a gnarled old tree at the edge of a clearing. As he straightened up, he was startled to see that the clearing was filled with Le-Matoran. Turaga Matau was standing at the head of the crowd. He was clutching his Kau Kau Staff as usual. But—what was that on his face, in place of his regular mask?

Lewa gasped in horror. It wasn't just Matau—all of the villagers wore glowing masks over their faces, each pulsing from a sickly green to a hideous orange. Behind the masked Matoran, plumes of acrid smoke traced ugly patterns in the air, blocking the view of the village above. Behind the assembly of Matoran and the Turaga of Air, a row of Lehvak could be seen.

Matau smiled as he stepped forward toward the Toa, the expression grotesque behind the pulsing, unfamiliar Krana. "Greetings, Lewa—Toa of Air," the Turaga said in a monotone voice. The speaker had been Matau's mouth, but not his mind. Behind the assembly of Matoran, the smoke cleared for just a moment, revealing the destroyed village of Le-Koro. "We have been expecting you."

X X X

The Ko-Koro Sanctum, along with most other buildings in the ice village, had nothing but newly desolated ground in front of it. Where pristine undisturbed snow used to rest, now it looked like the waves of a frozen ocean…and that was where the ground was still intact. Nuhvok climbed through, their black armor and green eyes giving them away against the rest of the locally white backdrop.

Matoro helped Jaatikko and Kylma from their homes before those two buildings collapsed into the weakened ground. He came over to Jala, who was distracting two more Bohrok with mediocre success. It was enough that the two villagers escaped to regroup with others, though. Matoro saw what was happening and knew this was wrong—they would run out of homes long before the swarms ran out of Bohrok. "We must flee," he told the Matoran of Fire. "They are arriving in too great of numbers."

Every part of the Captain wanted to argue, but this was Matoro's land and he had seen the threat. He was no warrior, instead a translator and scholar, but that meant he was wise in his own special kind of way, if not battle. Instead of arguing, Jala implied his agreement. "My guard shall keep the creatures at bay while the village is evacuated."

Matoro nodded, hefted his spiked hunting tool on his shoulder, and went off to rally and move the Ko-Matoran. Behind him, Jala turned and nodded his orders to his guardsmen. Maglya nodded in confirmation, readied his staff, and approached another Nuhvok.

While Maglya was still walking toward it, the black creature took two steps towards him, closing the gap quickly. It slammed the ground with its earth shield. Maglya was blown into the air and away from the Bohrok from the resulting force of earth. He landed hard against a Ko-Matoran home, right in the corner where the wall of the dwelling met the snowy ground. Hearing footsteps, he glanced over his shoulder to see the Ko-Matoran Ehrye quickly leaving the home. _That's good, at least they're getting away, _he thought.

Tergzu grabbed his spear with both hands and put himself between the closest Nuhvok and Ko-Matoran. With less force than before, but with as much assertiveness, the Nuhvok stabbed its earth shield into the ground. A tremor visibly and audibly raced along the ground toward where Tergzu stood. He stepped to the side the avoid the earth energy, but allowed it to hit a two-bio tall ice stalagmite next to him. He jumped in surprise, but couldn't move fast enough when it toppled onto him, pinning him into the cold snow.

Jala went to his aid while Matoro helped usher Ehrye and another Matoran that had joined him, Jaa, out of the clearing. Jaa paused only long enough to point Matoro to what was happening. The Ko-Matoran looked to see Jala trying has hard as he could to lift the ice, only to fail and drop it on Tergzu again.

The sound of the Nuhvok stepping closer drew Jala's attention back to the attacker. He reached behind him for his disk, but could already tell that, facing the Bohrok head-on, there was no good shot he could take that would have an appreciable effect. As it readied to attack him…ice rose from the ground between its feet, freezing its arms to its sides. The ice continued crawling up the Bohrok until if covered the headplate.

Kopaka stood off to the side, watching. He walked slowly over to where Tergzu and Jala were. Casually, he stuck the tip of his sword under the stalagmite that had trapped Tergzu and lifted it, tossing it away. The Ta-Matoran pushed himself back off the ground and picked up his guard spear. He and Jala nodded to each other before jogging off to join Matoro and the other two guards, leaving Kopaka in front of the Bohrok.

Accepting but unsatisfied with the Matoran's level of safety, Kopaka brought his sword back defensively in front of him. Faced with the Nuhvok in front of him, he had his own variety of powers to use against these attackers to his home. His Golden Kanohi allowed him to use all six Great Kanohi Mask powers without needing to switch between them, but there were others he had collected that might prove useful here. He switched from his mighty Golden Akaku to a lowly Noble Kanohi Komau and reached out with the mask's energies to seize hold of the minds of one of the Bohrok.

The Toa of Ice did feel his thoughts brush against and attempt to communicate with the mind of the Krana inside the Nuhvok, but it was so alien (or perhaps the mask was simply too weak) that the Bohrok simply shook its head free of the control. It dug its shields into the ground, but not to unleash an energy attack or wave in the ground. It simply tore a chunk of earth free, lifted it high, and then threw it at Kopaka.

The Toa successfully dodged underneath, the large mass flying just above the rim of his Kanohi. A large bang in a Ko-Koro hut signified that the projectile had landed. Before Kopaka could try another mask, the ground suddenly caved beneath him, swallowing rock, dirt, snow, and the surprised Toa of Ice.

Kopaka landed hard in an underground room, created by the Nuhvok robbing it of its integrity. Remembering his other Noble masks, he changed from his Komau to his Ruru. The enhanced Night Vision allowed him to see even to the darkest reaches of the cave. His eyes narrowed at the sight of three Bohrok, and one of them was launching a Krana at him! He pulled his shield up just in time to block the creature from landing on him. He wasn't even sure exactly what would happen if it did, but he knew he never wanted to find out.

Sheathing his sword on his back, Kopaka gathered up the Krana. Then he changed back to his Golden Akaku, calling upon its powers of speed. Before the Bohrok could attempt to launch more Krana or earth waves, he jumped back out of the hole he had fallen through. Using powers of levitation, he landed back in the Ko-Koro clearing. It was currently clear of Nuhvok, but there were more coming from the main gate, and this time, there were Tahnok, too!

Kopaka wanted to stay and fight, but another look around showed that the Matoran had escaped—and they were what mattered. He let his blade's tip fall to the ground, touching the snow. As it did, the ice surrounding the gate caved in on the oncoming Bohrok. They weren't defeated, he knew, and there would be more. _We need to come up with a plan,_ he thought, leaving the site of battle to catch up to Nuju and the Ko-Matoran. _We need those Krana, and we need to figure out what to do with them while we still have an island. _


	4. Chapter 4

In the blowing winds of The Drifts, the Ko-Matoran population stopped for a rest. Jala left his guard, which was still escorting the Ko-Matoran on the way, to where Nuju and Matoro stood on a rise. Nothing but the blowing of the cold wind could be heard, until Jala broke their silence. "I am sorry that we were not able to do more to defend the village," he said solemnly.

Nuju replied something in his own language, prompting Matoro to look at him. When the Turaga was finished, Matoro turned to Jala. "Nuju says that only the village was lost. The Matoran are safe. That is what is most important." The ice elder said more then. Matoro elaborated, "Were it not for your aid, escape may have proved impossible. Thank you."

Jala sighed. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to have his own village taken. "Where will you go?"

"We will seek refuge amidst Ihu's slopes," Matoro replied, apparently already knowing the answer. "Kopaka shall ensure our safe journey."

Jala looked to see Kopaka standing alone, and away from the group of Matoran. Alone with his thoughts, he stood with his back to the group, staring into the blizzard. Only his sheathed sword and string of collected Krana swayed in the wind. The Ta-Matoran nodded. "Then my guard and I will take our leave. May Tahu protect you."

Jala moved back to where the Ta-Matoran had stopped for rest. Tergzu and Maglya, their staffs on their backs, saluted that they already understood. Kapura picked his up out of the snow where he had dropped it, and then saluted as well. Behind them, among the snowdrifts, Jala could see Kylma, Kokkan, and Ehrye wandering about. _And may Mata Nui protect us all, _he told himself.

X X X

Mamru ran next to the other Matoran fleeing Onu-Koro, pausing only for a moment to look over his shoulder at his disrepaired home. He reminded himself to keep running with the others, lest he fall behind.

"Keep moving!" Onepu called from up ahead, atop his Ussal crab. He waved his arm in large circles to encourage the Matoran to move quickly. Next to him, Taipu held up a rock pillar supporting a cave exit. "Go! Make for the surface!" Taipu strained under the weight of the rock, but hefted it up once more. "Not that much longer," Onepu encouraged him, before turning back to the oncoming destruction of his home. "Curse these monsters…" he muttered angrily.

One final Matoran was running up, one with an orange Pakari, but was followed quickly by a wave of water about to cover the earthen village. Onepu started at the sight—the Matoran was engulfed in the flood and headed toward them. "Taipu! Look out!" he shouted.

Taipu, surprised by the sudden tidal wave, didn't react fast enough. Onepu reined his Ussal crab mount to rush toward him, roughly tackling him out of the way just as the last escaping Matoran and a small amount of water flew through the opening. With Taipu's support gone, the pillar collapsed and sealed off the cave, rescuing the Matoran from the flood.

X X X

Inside the cave, Onepu checked himself. He was alright, and so was his crab. He looked around. It was pitch black. "Taipu?" he called. He turned the other way. "Taipu!?" he called louder.

From behind him, his friend's voice came. "Onepu?"

Onepu hopped toward him, feeling Taipu's arm. In the dark light he could barely make out his friend's eyes and heartlight, even as an Onu-Matoran. "Taipu! You're okay!"

Taipu blinked three times. He squinted to make sure his eyes were working. Then he turned back to where he had heard Onepu's voice. "Blind…" he said, extremely worried. "I'm blind…"

"No, you're not blind," Onepu answered. He looked around, despite the situation. "The tunnel collapsed. It's dark, that's all."

"Oh…okay!" Taipu said, happier again. "Did they all get out?"

Onepu turned back to the general direction of Taipu's voice. "Yes, all except one. I don't know where he is."

"Hello?" a new voice sounded, startling the two Matoran.

"Who goes there?" Onepu asked firmly. "Show yours—er—who are you?"

"Nuparu. Tunnel Engineer 2nd Class. Marn Tunnel 12, Sector 4," the Matoran answered. "Who are you?"

"I am Onepu, High Commander of the Ussalry, Veteran of the Makuta Wars, Right Hand of Turaga Whenua of Onu-Koro." Then he remembered, "Oh…and Taipu's here, too."

Nuparu elevated himself on his tiptoes to look over Onepu's eyes to see another pair. He started to wave…then didn't bother. "Oh…sorry, sir. I didn't recognize you. I know your voice, it's just—I'm…still a little shaken."

"No need to apologize," Onepu replied. "Do you have any light?"

Nuparu started. "Oh, I forgot! Yes, I have a lightstone…" He began rummaging through his equipment. "Somewhere…ah!"

Nuparu pulled out a lightstone, its luminance seeming all the brighter from the surrounding darkness. It also illuminated the jaws of a Bohrok Gahlok's teeth right in front of the Matoran! Onepu and Nuparu jumped back with a scream, as Taipu stumbled and fell backward. "Aaaaaaaah!"

Strangely, it wasn't moving. Nuparu courageously moved the light over the thing again, showing its headplate was lowered. "It's alright. It's disabled," Onepu informed. "Look, there's no Krana."

Taipu sat back up. "Krana?"

"Its brain," Onepu explained. "They eject from the host body to attack." He gestured to the motionless machine. "With no brain, the body shuts down." The other two Matoran looked quizzically at him, sending unspoken queries. He shrugged and said, "Whenua told me." After a pause, Onepu spoke again. "Well, if we're going to get out of here, I guess we'd better start digging. Nuparu, you're an engineer—maybe you can think of something to help us."

While Onepu and Taipu ran a short ways off to begin moving rubble, Nuparu couldn't help but stare and study the Bohrok, new ideas floating in his mind. He cocked his head, wondering about the potential of machinery in front of him…

"Nuparu!"

Onepu's call startled him, causing him to look over.

"It would be better if you think and dig at the same time." Next to Onepu, his crab helpfully moved a couple of rocks in the dim light, while behind him Taipu did the same.

"Wait, sir," Nuparu replied. "I have an idea…" He held his lightstone back up to the disabled Gahlok.

X X X

Kopaka crunched through the snow past a Ko-Wahi totem. Every few steps, frigid breath would escape his mouth, though his form remained unaffected by the freezing temperatures. A gust of wind picked up, dropping the temperatures below zero and bringing a wall of snow in front of him. The bag he carried which held his thusly collected Krana blew wildly in the wind and the snow made it difficult to see very far ahead. Using the most efficient method of energies to overcome this visual impairment, Kopaka adjusted the three scopes on the side of his Akaku without even calling on the mask's energies.

The lenses revealed a figure coming toward him through the snow. It obviously walked on two legs, but looked bigger than a Bohrok. Kopaka's mask refocused as the being came closer. Getting a clear view, the Toa of Ice jabbed his sword into the snow hilt-up and put his free hand on his hip. Casually, impatiently, he waited for the newcomer to arrive. _Any time now… _he thought.

Just as the being came within two bios, he tried to wave at Kopaka, but instead promptly slipped on the ice and fell mask-first into the snow…just as Kopaka had predicted. He leaned over in observation. Then he grabbed his sword, lifted it high, and with a flash of ice energy along the blade he dispelled what he could in the icy winds. The presence of snow and ice diminished, even if the winds remained. He looked back down.

Muffled by the snow covering his head, Pohatu raised a finger and murmured loudly, "I'm OK!"

Kopaka merely shook his head. He turned and resumed his journey.

Pohatu pushed himself onto his hands, lifting his head and shoulders out of the snow. "Wait up!" he called after his brother.

Kopaka's pace didn't change. Instead, Pohatu zipped next to him with his golden mask. Then he matched Kopaka's pace and walked alongside the ice warrior. "And what brings you here?" Kopaka asked, eyes straight ahead.

"We've just driven the Lehvak and Tahnok out of Po-Koro," Pohatu said proudly. "And since I was near the border anyway, I thought I'd stop by to check up on you."

Kopaka looked over. "Po-Wahi doesn't border Ko-Wahi."

Pohatu's eyes widened, as if in surprise. He stammered, "Well…they're not far apart!"

Kopaka's gaze returned to forward.

Pohatu sighed. "Look, I'm not here to be fooling around—that's Lewa's business. I know we have to hurry with this Krana collecting thing. That's why I decided to help you out. Because…" Pohatu and Kopaka stopped walking so the Toa of Stone could produce his string of collected Krana. He held up four desert-tan colored ones proudly, marking them as dormant Pahrak Krana. A small vine was tied together, linking them by their eyeholes. "Look how many I already have!"

Pohatu's jaw quivered and his eyes widened as the Toa of Ice wordlessly pulled out his seven Krana strung together, forming a chain nearly twice as long as his. Pohatu's eye twitched. "Um, excellent, brother!" he complimented, finding his confidence.

Kopaka coiled up the flat-white Krana back into the bag he carried. Their color marked them as the dormant Krana for Kohrok. "I only need one," Kopaka said. "Krana Ca. You could help me find it." With that, the Toa of Ice walked away.

"Sure…" Pohatu muttered, following along in the biting cold.

X X X

The two Toa stumbled uneventfully through Ko-Wahi for some time. Even Kopaka had his shield in front of him, protecting him from the wind and snow. Pohatu tried to keep his legs walking more than they were shivering, and had his hands close to his Kakama. Such was why Pohatu was surprised when Kopaka held out his shield and blocked his path abruptly. His ice brother must have seen something with his keen eyes or Akaku in the distance.

"Bohrok?" Pohatu asked, looking around for danger.

Kopaka shook his head. Again, he used his ice powers to calm what portion of the blizzard storm he could, clearing their view. He pointed forward, saying, "You almost walked into my statue."

Pohatu looked forward again, seeing for the first time a statue resembling Kopaka three feet in front of them. It was made completely out of ice, but the Kanohi, sword, and shield were all there. The Toa of Stone took a step forward, intrigued by a carving made from something other than stone. "Nice! Did you make it?"

"No. It was all carved out of a solid ice block by Kopeke," Kopaka answered. "He is one of my most vocal supporters in Ko-Koro. Or, he was, before the Matoran were forced to flee by Nuhvok."

Pohatu stood in the cold silence that followed. He clenched his hands both in discomfort and to keep their muscles moving. "Sure picked a nice display spot for it!" he called, indicating the snowfield around. Only a few skinny trees dotted the snowy hills, and even they had precious little to entice a viewer. What _was _interesting, however, was the buzzsaw shield spying on the two Toa that darted off.

"Well…he is known to be a shy artist," Kopaka defended.

"You don't say!" Pohatu returned before studying the sculpture again. Then he realized something was off. Looking from Kopaka to the statue, he finally realized what it was. "Say…" he murmured in thought, "Your lookers are on the wrong side."

Kopaka's eyes shifted to the sculpted Akaku, where, sure enough, the telescopes were on the statue's left-hand side.

"Heh, no wonder he left it out here, eh?" Pohatu continued.

Kopaka knew this was a secluded area, but couldn't help himself from looking side to side to make sure he and Pohatu were alone. When he saw no Ko-Matoran in this portion of the Drifts, he reached out his sword to touch the mask. When it did, the ice instantly morphed and reshaped itself such that the Akaku's scopes were now on the right-hand side…just like his.

Pohatu raised an eyebrow at Kopaka and shook his head. When he turned back to the sculpture, there was something different about it yet again. This time, it was a shape distorted through the ice…a Kohrok. It spun up its left buzzsaw-designed ice shield and sliced through the sculptures neck. Its right severed through the legs, causing the statue to crumble and fall over. When it did, several other Kohrok joined the first.

_Clean it all, _thought one.

_Everything must be cleaned, _the group resounded.

The Toa jumped back, then exchanged a look and a nod. Pohatu shouldered off his bag of Krana, letting it fall to the ground. Kopaka did, too, but got his strap stuck on his shield. He moved it over his other shoulder, happy Pohatu was keeping his eyes on the Bohrok. The Toa of Ice dropped his bag near Pohatu's, then covered them both with a thick ice dome for protection.

Now ready, Pohatu struck first. He charged his mask of speed and raced forward, throwing a kick at the lead Bohrok. But it had sensed and read his move telepathically, and jumped aside. It's rock-hard head jutted out at Pohatu angrily, backing the Toa up. Repeated enough times, Pohatu found a pattern and managed to catch its head with his strong arms. He was about to topple it over when it jumped over him, his own grip throwing him onto his back. He looked up in surprise to see three Kohrok standing over him.

Meanwhile, another Kohrok charged its ice shield and hurled a blast at Kopaka. The Toa raised his own shield, blocking the attack. He charged his sword with ice and shot a continuous stream at the Bohrok, forming a long spear that threatened to knock it off the slope. Fearlessly, the Kohrok charged its buzzsaws and shredded the ice before it could do any damage. But when it looked for Kopaka it saw nothing.

That was because Kopaka had sped behind it, using his Golden Kanohi. It took the shape of his Akaku once again, changing back from its Kakama appearance. The sound alerted the Bohrok, unfortunately, as it turned to see Kopaka bringing his sword down right on the Bohrok's headplate. Too late to block it with ice or its tools, it chose another option.

Kopaka's eyes widened in discovery as the blade bounced off of an energy shield. Before he could make any further pursuit, the winds picked up again, lowering visibility temporarily. A use of his Akaku revealed that the Bohrok had rolled up into its mobile ball-like form and rolled away. He lost it in the group of other Kohrok.

Pohatu saw the other Kohrok around him do the same. Only one stayed in the area, but it wasn't very interested in him. He called upon the Akaku powers of his Golden Kanohi, its form changing to Kopaka's telescoped appearance. Its enhanced vision allowed him to vividly see Kopaka's form coming over to him from a snow hill, the single Kohrok left in the area beginning to saw down one of the sparse trees, and the rest of the Kohrok by themselves, moving along. He zoomed in the scope to be sure, but they weren't sticking around the battle. Turning back to Kopaka he jumped at the sight of his brother.

"Woah!" he exclaimed, returning his zoom level to normal. He wasn't very experienced using those features. "Oh, it's you, Kopaka. What's the deal with these Bohrok? They seemed to be ganging up on me, and then all but one just walked away. I feel insulted."

"Kohrok like to fight one-on-one," Kopaka explained. "This alone would make them easy to defeat…"

Pohatu smiled and gave a thumbs up.

"…in theory."

Pohatu's thumb fell and his smile disappeared.

"In practice, it's not that simple. Their recklessness makes engaging them risky as they don't even care about their own safety." Kopaka pointed a finger. "They'd be ready to take themselves down with you."

"Any suggestions for a strategy, then?" Pohatu was able to get out, before he returned to uncontrollable shivering. The wind had picked up again, slowly over time. He began folding his arms together and rubbing them.

"I know that one has a Ca," Kopaka continued. "First, we should find it and single it out." Kopaka stopped when he realized Pohatu was looking at him, but not doing much more than that. The poor brown Toa was visibly shaking, his teeth chattering, and his arms no longer rubbing themselves. With an undetectable sigh and groan, Kopaka raised his sword into the air and willed the snow and ice away. Again, the effect was not complete, but very helpful.

Kopaka's weather allowed Pohatu more than just temporarily relief. The creaking of a trunk made them both take a step back as a small tree toppled to the ground between them. At its sever was a Kohrok seemingly looking over its work with pride. Pohatu's mask shaped changed back from an Akaku to a Kakama. But before he could speed into battle, Kopaka stopped him.

"Ah. No speeding," Kopaka ordered with a raised hand. He pointed to the ground. "The snow's frozen over."

Pohatu gingerly slid his left foot forward and backward on the sheet. It took no effort. "Doesn't matter if you're hard as rock, water," Pohatu muttered to the surface with a shake of his head. "I still don't like you."

The Kohrok in question finally walked away, moving toward where the others were dispersing. Pohatu and Kopaka followed after, with Kopaka stepping over the tree. Pohatu found it hard to walk on such slippery ice, but eventually built up enough momentum to get moving. He moved his pace to intercept the Kohrok and keep it away from its squad. He ran and jumped, ready to cut it off.

The ice Bohrok stopped in its tracks, raised its head to watch the Toa of Stone land in front of it…and then gently, slowly, slide three bio away. Kopaka, his snow boots effortlessly gripping the ice, walked over to the Kohrok. The pair simply blinked after him for a moment before beginning their own battle.

Kopaka swung his sword, but was blocked by the Bohrok's tool. A second downward slash forced the Kohrok to sidestep, but a follow-up thrust of its head caused Kopaka to back up. Revving its ice buzzsaws, the Kohrok pursued.

Looking on, Pohatu tried to take a step but nearly fell backward onto his rear. He glanced down at his feet, muttering, "So much for strategy…" He looked back up to his brother with a hand cupped around his mouth. "Think you'll manage?" he called over the mountain wind.

Kopaka looked up at him from behind his shield. The Kohrok was busily trying to saw through it. Kopaka simply nodded once and turned back to his foe.

Managing to turn around (cautiously), Pohatu found snow that provided more traction than the ice sheet upon which his brother was fighting. Smiling at the small triumph, he approached the Kohrok squad, which was back to cleaning the mountain side of its few skinny trees. He walked up to one and tapped it on the shoulder, ready to grab its arm when it attacked and throw it halfway down Ihu.

The Kohrok shut off its buzzsaw and glanced over its shoulder at him, but just nonchalantly returned to its work.

Pohatu's eyes widened. _That is so odd…I'm right here! Well, fine. If you won't let me counter you… _The Toa of Stone reared back his leg and punted the Bohrok flying away. His aim true, it hurtled righted into another Kohrok with a loud crash, toppling it over.

That seemed to generate a response. As the second one struggled to get back onto its feet, the first slammed its buzzsaws into the snow, allowing it to travel at a faster pace than walking while retaining more offensive capabilities than its ball form. Before it hit Pohatu, it punched its head into the ground, launching it over and behind Pohatu.

"Woah!" the Toa cried, ducking under the catapulting Bohrok.

When he turned to face it, it was already aiming its shields at him. They fired twin streams of ice, starting lower and rising. The elemental energies quickly froze him from his feet up, ending only at his shoulders. His muscles began to shiver again, even if his armor couldn't move. But as the two Kohrok closed in on his trapped position, he realized that the cold was not his biggest problem.


	5. Chapter 5

With an assortment of drills, axes, and other tools from his satchel, Nuparu began disassembling the Bohrok under the light of his lightstone. He worked diligently and with passion; this kind of occupation was what he enjoyed, but now, he was sure it would benefit his people—not just Onu-Matoran, but Matoran all across the island.

He only paused when he saw the unused Bohrok headplate hopping around the cave. Confused, he squinted through the darkness, seeing Taipu run around with it like a giant mask. He and Onepu were "helping" to disassemble the Bohrok for parts.

Nuparu pulled out a modular launcher that could be adapted for several purposes. He quickly configured it for use with a heatstone by concentrated magnification, using the combination to weld on his forming creation. The sparks of his arc-welding tool were so bright they lit the cave farther than the light stone did, as the tool haphazardly welded and twinkled luminance throughout the cave. The engineer worked in secret in a far corner of the tunnel for a long period of time….

When he was done, Nuparu took a few steps backward, admiring his finished product. He looked to Onepu over his right shoulder and nodded its completion, then did the same with Taipu off to his left, who eagerly nodded back.

X X X

Back in the now-flooded village of Onu-Koro, the Gahlok swarm continued their destructive work, as two more shot streams of water to fill the cave. They swept their aim, washing more huts under water.

_Rummmmmble…. _

The Gahlok stopped. That sound hadn't come from a Bohrok. Two Gahlok looked off to the side of the village, where a pile of rubble had evidently collapsed, stopping the flood. They were going to deal with the blockage later, but had to investigate now that they had heard non-Bohrok activity behind the pile of earth.

As the Bohrok took a step closer to the pile of rocks, they suddenly exploded apart from the other side, flying in toward the village. In the gaping hole, there was a lightstone on the ground, illuminating the hulking silhouette of an imposing machine that caused even the water Bohrok to prepare for battle.

With whirring and clomping steps, the mechanical suit came closer, revealing Nuparu in the operating seat in the center of the exo-suit. He was flanked by Onepu on his Ussal and Taipu wielding a drill and hammer. "I'm an engineer, not a poet," Nuparu said with a smile. "Besides, a practical name will be easiest for you monsters to remember. "I'll call it…" he piloted the suit's long arms, ending in hooks to stretch out into an offensive position. "…BOXOR!"

X X X

_Wall of History, Record 4—New Invention Saves Onu-Koro_

"**BOXOR" DRIVES GAHLOK SWARM FROM VILLAGE**

_After a vicious squad of water Bohrok flooded Onu-Koro recently, a Matoran named Nuparu made an important discovery that may 'turn the tide' against the Bohrok menace. _

_Nuparu, a tunnel engineer from Onu-Koro, constructed a vehicle called the Boxor that uses a swift punching motion designed specifically to target and knock a Bohrok's Krana loose. The Onu-Matoran made the discovery when he came across a Krana-less Gahlok while trapped with Onepu and Taipu in an evacuated part of Onu-Koro. Once Nuparu realized that the Bohrok were simply transports for the Krana, he used his knowledge to give the Matoran an advantage. After constructing and christening the Boxor, he, along with Taipu and Onepu on his Ussal, made a stand against the Bohrok. They beat back the aggressive Gahlok swarm, driving them out of the underground village and stopping the flood. _

_Onu-Matoran were delighted to return to their homes safely. "Finally we have a defense against these monsters," Onepu said during clean-up efforts. "Maybe now we can rid Mata Nui of the Bohrok and go back to more peaceful times."_

_Shortly after the swarm was driven back, materials were collected and organized for Nuparu to begin a larger scale production for the Boxor machines._

_-Takua, The Chronicler-_

X X X

The ice around Pohatu shattered and flew off of his body, raining down on the surprised Kohrok. His Golden Kanohi changed shape again, shifting from its appearance of a Pakari to that of his Kakama again. Combined with his strength, the mask had broken through the ice block.

_Time to warm the muscles back up again, _the Toa thought. He sped toward the Bohrok that froze him, first making two wide sweeps, causing it to search hard for him. Then he began speeding in tighter and tighter circles around the machine. With a smile, he saw it raise a claw to its headplate; its Krana was starting to get a headache. Weakly, it started rotating one of its shields, but Pohatu kept racing. Just when it seemed it might get an attack off, he sped off again, leaving a dizzy Bohrok behind.

Pohatu swept back again, between the two Bohrok. He was going to make a pass at the second one when he accidentally ran too far. His foot slipped and he found himself on the ice sheet from before. Now his whole body was slipping and sliding out of control again.

Kopaka managed to catch a glimpse of this from his own fight. Sparing a moment, he pointed his sword, causing an outpour of snow to shoot forth. The volume was enough to stop the Pohatu's velocity. Pohatu glanced down, smiled, and finger-gunned a 'thank you' to his brother. He turned back to fight, but then faced Kopaka again, remembering something. "Uh, one thing…which one is the Ca again?"

Kopaka's surprised face turned to one of pain as the Kohrok hit him from behind. The direct blow from its punching head dropped the Toa of Ice to the ground and knocked his sword from his grip. He shook his head from the impact and looked to Pohatu, calling angrily, "You haven't memorized them!?"

Pohatu shied away with a wince, then shrugged.

Kopaka rolled his eyes. _Seriously… _he said to himself. _Can't take him anywhere. _Rolling onto his back, he kicked the nearing Kohrok in the face. The force bought him enough time to pick up his sword and get to one knee. "Shielding!" he yelled at his brother. Then he turned to his enemy.

Smiling with mischievous eyes, Pohatu brought his hands' palms together in front of him. When he separated them, he willed his elemental power of stone creation to enact. Pulling his hands wider, the energy formed the handle and then head of a giant stone hammer. It was as tall as he was, and several hundred pounds. As soon as it was created, the Toa of Stone grabbed hold with both hands and hefted it over shoulder. "Shielding, huh?" he muttered in anticipation.

Pohatu walked up to the first of the two Bohrok, which were mystified by the sight of this new object to clean. Pohatu's shadow fell over one. The great hammer's shadow did, too. Pohatu raised it high. "Shielding?" he asked.

The Kohrok made a threatening noise like a growl. It started up its buzzsaws and reared out its head…only to have it smashed into the snow when Pohatu promptly brought his stone down. When the Kohrok raised its head again, featuring a brand-new and obvious dent in the headplate, it didn't stand for much longer. Its arm fell and its legs wavered before its whole body fell into the snow and its eye lights went out.

"Hm. No shielding," Pohatu commented. He turned to the second Kohrok. Smiling, he hefted his hammer over his shoulder again and asked brightly, "Shielding?"

Again the Kohrok growled some kind of mechanical sound at him at prepared its weapons. Pohatu swung his hammer down on the Bohrok, but before it could destroy it like the last one, a field of yellow-and-blue energy appeared around the Bohrok, powerful enough stopped Pohatu's hammer. He let it lazily slide off the sphere to the snow with a loud _thud_. "Shielding!" he confirmed, nodding.

Pohatu grabbed the hammer's handle by the tip and hoisted it next to him, where it stood upright on its head. He leaned casually against the standing handle, the weight of its head in the snow keeping it still. "Now, how do I get that Krana out of your head?" he wondered, stroking his mask's features.

Pohatu studied the shaking Kohrok before him. He couldn't quite tell if it was angry or afraid, but its shield was still up, keeping its Krana safe. Suddenly, it dropped the shield and stood up casually…confidently. Pohatu raised an eyebrow when he heard the sound of a form levitating behind him. Seeing the shadow of a floating form confirmed the presence of something behind him, and it was too much to hope it was Lewa.

Pohatu turned to face another Bohrok, this one flying in the air in its ball form save for its fanned-out ice shields. He didn't have any time to react before it lashed its head out at him striking him square in the mask. The impact knocked the Golden Kanohi from his face where it landed away in the snow. Pohatu, too, fell to his hands and stomach on the cold white surface.

Weakened and struggling, Pohatu picked his face up out of the snow to see the Kohrok on the ground hunch over and open its head plate. From the Turaga's information before, he knew what was about to happen. He coughed weakly. "Not exactly what I had in mind," he said, as the Kohrok prepared to launch its Krana at a new host.

X X X

A distance away, Kopaka's sword clanged against his Kohrok's ice shield. It triggered its saw function, trying to get an upper hand, but Kopaka broke the grapple first. Pulling away, he charged his sword with ice energy and swung again, backing the Kohrok up. It tried to use its head next, aiming to bash him, but his shield blocked that, too. Now more aggressive, the Bohrok started up its saws and pushed the Toa back, swinging more wildly and occasionally coming too close for comfort. Kopaka swung his sword right at the "neck" of the creature, but just missed when it tilted backward out of the way. He could see it was going to try to bash him again, so he jumped aside and created an ice wall as he did. The skull of the Kohrok smashed through the ice, but did little else to slow it down.

Next, the ice Bohrok fired an ice blast at him with a swipe of its shields. Before they even hit, it rolled up into a ball and headbutted the ground, launching it in a jump over and behind the Toa of Ice. Kopaka blocked the ice attack with his shield, knowing it wasn't the only attack. He ruined the Bohrok's element of surprise by spinning in attack, again only narrowly missing the creature after it landed. But it was off balance… _Now's the chance! _he urged himself, jabbing his blade at the critical area of its headplate to disable it.

But before he could neutralize the Bohrok, an energy field in the shape of a sphere appeared, stopping his blow. Kopaka couldn't help but show his surprise. _Shielding… _he thought. The only problem was that his sword was cut in the energy field, held tight and unable to move. Kopaka pulled a few times anyway. Each time he did, the shield just glowed brighter and held tighter.

It was in his strongest pull that he noticed another set of disturbing events taking place behind him. A Kohrok had just lowered its headplate and stood hunched over, ready to fire its Krana at a maskless Pohatu. Its targeting system had no doubt found his exposed face. Meanwhile, Pohatu was pitifully trying in vain to cover his face or look away.

The Toa of Ice turned back to his own foe, a new idea suddenly in his head. Channeling ice power through his sword, he completely froze the sphere around the Kohrok into a ball of solid ice. The Kohrok looked around confused at the event, while Kopaka merely pulled his sword smoothly out of the ball. He ran away, leaving a puzzled Kohrok tapping the surface of the ice sphere with its head in experimentation.

The other Kohrok had finished verifying the target. It sprang the bed of the Krana forward, causing the machine to fall limp after it left. The light-blue Krana sped through the air, ready claim Pohatu. One last clench of fear touched him before Kopaka raced forward and stretched his sword out into its flight path. The Krana's own momentum across its edge sliced it into two clean halves, leaving a small trail of some sort of organic fluid on the blade. The two halves of the Krana landed on the snowy ground and turned from light-blue to white.

Pohatu looked up at Kopaka. "Thanks!" he cried. He managed to get himself to one knee before spilling his next bit of news. "Although I think that one might have been a Ca."

"Well…" Kopaka said shortly, looking back at the remains, "…that _figures._" He adjusted his telescopes and hefted his sword. "Put on your mask."

Pohatu crawled forward to where his Golden Kanohi lay. He moved his hand out to grab it but stopped when the mask began to shudder and move. Underneath the Kanohi, a small little white creature popped out of the snow, knocking the Kanohi behind it. The creature had a Krana bed on its back, and two ice picks in its hands. It screeched in Pohatu's face, turned around to where the Kanohi fell, grabbed it, and then disappeared under the snow again.

Pohatu, speechless, pointed to the hole in the snow from it to Kopaka, wondering if they had just seen the same thing. When he looked up at Kopaka again, the cool Toa was walking a few steps forward, silently. _Can't…take him…anywhere… _his mind kept saying.

Pohatu got to his knees, watching as Kopaka stopped. Kopaka triggered his Golden Akaku, causing it to glow as he used its power to see through the ground and track his query. As Pohatu crawled over, Kopaka jabbed his sword into the ground and triggered his elemental power. A tree of ice energy visibly grew out along the ground, two of its tendrils circling a point. Kopaka clenched his fist, and a ramp of ice grew out of the ground.

The ramp's highest point launched the screeching Kohrok Va out of hiding, though it still clutched the Golden Kakama. When it fell back to the ramp, the curvature slid the Bohrok Va down a long ice slide, where it _plopped _at the bottom in front of the two waiting Toa. It looked between Pohatu and Kopaka before it screeched defiantly and pulled the mask tight to its little body again, insubordinate before these two tall strangers.

The sight reminded Pohatu of some Matoran villagers who held close their cloth dolls of kinds of Rahi. "D'awwwwwwww…" he admired.

Kopaka shot him a sideways glance…then he unwaveringly stabbed the Kohrok Va.

The Bohrok Va spasmed and screeched, the center of its mechanical body critically damaged. Together, Kopaka and Pohatu watched silently as it slumped over to one side on the icy ground. Pohatu's mask was now free again.

The Toa of Stone scrunched up his face as Kopaka handed his Kanohi back to him, finally saying, "Here." As Pohatu refitted it, Kopaka noticed his sword still had some organic fluid stuck to the blade from slicing the Krana Ca earlier. He gently tapped the metal twice with his finger even as he looked back to Pohatu. The first tap instantly froze the remains into a hardened solid; the second cracked it apart, dropping the pieces into the snow. "So…how'd you lose it?"

"Got hit by a Bohrok with one of those flying Krana," Pohatu explained, pointing skyward.

"Ah, Krana _Vu_, you say?" Kopaka said matter-of-factly, raising his gaze upward and adjusting his telescopes.

Pohatu shrugged. Honestly, he wasn't sure if Kopaka's head movement was to look for the Bohrok Vu or just to make him seem even taller.

"There!" Kopaka yelled, pointing to a lone Bohrok hovering at a fixed height above them. He started to raise his sword but Pohatu lowered his arm.

"Wait, let me handle it," the Toa of Stone requested.

Kopaka nodded and took a step back. He wasn't sure exactly how Pohatu was going to use stone to take out an aerial target.

Pohatu, confident, walked forward steadily. He raised a hand, palm up, in front of him, before clenching that hand into a tight, curving fist. The summons of his elemental energies responded, causing a giant hand made of a dark-brown stone to erupt out of the ground in front of him and shoot after the flying Bohrok.

The Kohrok noticed it coming several bio away, though, and began flying in an evasive pattern, while Pohatu tried to command his extension to grab it. Down below, he moved his hands back and forth, trying to control the massive construct as quickly as the Bohrok was able to turn. He couldn't match its agility, but it couldn't match his planning. After several turns of the same pattern, he was able to anticipate its programming and thrust an arm forward. In response, his giant stone arm shot forward and grabbed the Bohrok, its head caught between the thumb and first finger. Flipping the stone thumb, it broke the head joint off one of its hinges. The resulting jerk caused the Krana to fly out and the machine to power down.

Pohatu looked back at Kopaka with a grin. Kopaka merely looked from him to the arm, and then back to him. "Fanciful," he said with a roll of the head.

Pohatu shrugged yet again, this time causing the great arm overhead to waver as well, still under his control.

"But at least clean and efficient," Kopaka continued. He added on with a mutter, "So you have that over Tahu…"

Pohatu's hands went to his hips proudly. He didn't like the animosity between the other Toa, but he wasn't going to turn down a compliment from Kopaka. At least…he thought it was a compliment. It almost sounded like one, anyway.

He turned when he heard another Bohrok approaching, one of the last few of this Kohrok squad. It ran up, jumped onto the snowy wall of the mountain beside the two Toa and jumped off, landing right where they had been before moving backward. Caught by surprise, it hit Pohatu directly in the center of his abdomen with its head, sending him skittering all the way back to Kopaka's adversary from earlier.

That Kohrok had finally managed to free itself from the sphere of ice Kopaka had created when it shielded itself. It had taken a combination of its buzzsaws and punching head (more ice wouldn't help), but now that it was out, it was ready to clean again. That was, until it saw a large brown Toa of Stone sliding to it out of control. Almost reluctant to use its Krana now, it hesitated for a moment, then decided it was the best course of action.

Pohatu was nearly touching the Kohrok when the shield appeared, and so, was caught inside it. He had shut his eyes to prepare for impact, but opened them when he found he couldn't move. He pulled with his arms, head, and neck, but couldn't move much of anything, caught halfway inside and halfway outside the shield. Annoyed at the intrusion, the Kohrok dismissed the field and launched out with its head, returning the package to sender.

Kopaka, slowly circling the Kohrok, glanced over as his brother skidded to a slow stop next to him. "You alright?"

Pohatu stretched several ways—bending back over, and from side to side. It felt good to get some of the kinks out. "Yeah…say, these force-fields work both ways, right? As in, nothing gets in _or _out until its shut off?"

Kopaka raised his visible eyebrow as his scopes adjusted. "You didn't know that?"

"Just wanted to be sure…" Pohatu replied, stretching his arms out overhead. He took control of his stone arm again, which had been sitting unmoving for the past few moments. Now, it tossed the Bohrok it had been holding at the Kohrok Kopaka was fighting. If he could beat it, they might have a chance at getting the other's Ca.

But when the defeated Bohrok Vu's machine landed on the other, a shield protected it! The defeated one bounced off. "Hm. Quite a lot of Krana Ca around these parts, huh?" Pohatu asked the Ice Toa with a grin.

Kopaka nodded, verifying that it must be the Krana operating this Ice Bohrok as well.

Pohatu willed the stone hand down toward the Kohrok, burying it under the snow for just a moment, before it pulled it back up over the two Toa. In its heavy grasp, the Kohrok was safe inside its shield. Pohatu moved his own hands, causing the stone to change as he commanded. It changed from carrying the Bohrok in four crude fingers to six branches, curving spherically along the shield's surface. Each stone branch was evenly spaced, but he made sure not to connect them at the bottom.

The Kohrok Ca looked under its feet curiously. It still stood safely on its energy ball, held by the stone, but it couldn't get out. It slowly spun, inspecting its surroundings.

Down below, Pohatu clasped his hands together. He brought them away from each other, untouching, but not by much. Up above, the stone branches around the shield shrunk in length. He moved his hands out two more small increments, with the same effect—the stone branches retracted more. Each retraction opened up the space underneath the shield, but it the sphere was still contained.

The Bohrok looked around, more confused than ever.

Pohatu bent down trying to get a better view of the bottom of the shield. He inched his hands apart one more increment.

"What exactly are you attempting?" Kopaka wondered.

Pohatu turned, quipping pointedly, "Kopaka, please be _quiet_." He started to face the stone again, but turned back to Kopaka, pointing and stressing, "_This _requires _focus._" Facing the stone again, (and away from Kopaka) Pohatu allowed himself to stop hiding his smile and just let it flash widely across his face. He would need his concentration on the stone, after all.

Resume, he did, putting his hands back into their manipulating positions and then pulling them farther apart. The Kohrok's feet stepped nervously as the hard stone gave way underneath, barely holding its shield anymore. Finally, though, it saw an opening—the shield! That's what was keeping it here. The gap below was large enough now to accommodate a Bohrok in a ball form. Deciding that, it curled up into its mobile, ball-like mode.

This was what Pohatu had been waiting for, expecting, and counting on. He triggered his Mask of Speed even as the Bohrok's shield turned off, allowing it to fall through the six stone branches. It was no more than a foot away from the stone when Pohatu jumped hugh to intercept. Even mid-air, the Toa could see it re-activate its shield for protection on the ground, but he knew he would be faster. Flipping upside-down in his jump, he brought his foot up, and kicked it right in the headplate.

The kick's blow opened the headplate, sending the Bohrok and Krana flying in different directions. The disabled Bohrok flew toward the side of the mountain while the Krana flew straight up. Pohatu landed with style in an acrobatic crouch as the machine's crash sounded off in the distance. Then, the Stone Toa stood up confidently with one hand on his hip and the other outstretched so the Krana would fall into it.

The Ca _smacked _right against his mask, sliding unceremoniously down its golden surface.

Pohatu shifted his hand under his mask to catch it when it fell from there, instead. He turned around to face Kopaka with the now-white dormant Krana. "Ta-da!" he sang.

Kopaka merely looked at it, then nodded toward the last Kohrok in the area—the one he had been fighting before, also a Ca. "Then I guess we won't be needing that one."

The Kohrok was taking a few steps away from its recently-escaped sphere of ice, but when it saw the two Toa, decided it might be best to clean somewhere else. It rolled up into a ball and began rolling down the slope away from them.

Kopaka was too fast for it, though. Accepting the Krana from Pohatu, he charged his sword and thrust it into the snowy ground. Bright laces of his ice energy raced along the ground after the Bohrok. When they overtook the Bohrok, the lead lance shot out of the ground in the form of a long ice spike. Combined with the precision of his Akaku, the spike had pierced through the mechanical workings of the Bohrok's head, critically immobilizing it. When it tried to reach for the spike with its shields to free itself, Kopaka sent another impulse of energy through it, causing it to flare out with many smaller spikes in the shape of a lethal fractal. The result blew apart what was left of the Bohrok's head, freeing it from its trap and letting the machine fall to the ground. In a sense of completion, Kopaka withdrew his sword, willing the spike to collapse on and spear the Krana where it had landed. It wouldn't power another Bohrok again.

Pohatu was still staring at the sight when Kopaka approached with their retrieved bags of Krana. His was already over his shoulder; he handed Pohatu's out to him, who graciously received it. With that, Kopaka turned away. "Well, then," he said, patting his bag and starting away, "since _I'm _all done…maybe I could help you gather the rest of your Krana."

Pohatu put a cupped hand to his audio receptor as Kopaka began walking away. "What's that? A newfound sense of camaraderie, perhaps, or…do you just pity me?"

Kopaka's Golden Kanohi changed shape to that of a Kakama. Ko-Wahi didn't border Po-Wahi, after all, so they would have a long way to travel. "Let's go," he said.

Pohatu stepped forward quickly, grabbing his brother by the arm and stopping him momentarily. When Kopaka looked back at Pohatu, he saw his brother's familiar friendly eyes, an amicable smile, and an offertory outstretched fist.

Kopaka had heard of this before from Nuju. It seemed knocking one's fist against another was a show of mutual strength, high praise, and a gesture for quick celebration. It was also a show of trust, such that one was extending a hand unarmed. Lastly, it was reserved as the Toa's salute. Pohatu had apparently heard the same from Onewa.

Normally Kopaka wasn't one for playing games or pointless fist-bumping…but this time he gave in, facing his brother and knocking his fist against Pohatu's. To top it off, he closed his right eye for just a fraction of a second before turning away.

As he began charging his mask to speed off, Pohatu's words seized him: "Did you just wink at me…?"

_That's right, this type of mask has two eye-holes,_ Kopaka reminded himself, bringing his hand up to the altered shape of his Golden Kanohi. It was still in the unfamiliar shape of a Kakama, not an Akaku, which would have covered his right eye with its vision gear. He turned back to Pohatu, pointing a finger with a voice just as sharp. "Not a word to anyone," he instructed.

Pohatu stood his hunched form up straight. He brought one hand over his heartlight and another in the air as a sign of his silent promise.

Kopaka held his examining gaze, but then his features relaxed and he gave a nod. With that, he charged his mask and sped off through the snow in a second. Pohatu charged his own and started to dash after him, but slipped first thing he tried to move. He didn't have the icy traction that Kopaka's feet did. The Stone Toa tried again, only slip even farther and almost fall. He looked left and right, alone and out of his element in the wind, beginning to shiver again. But a smile came to his face when Kopaka raced back up to him. As prickly as Kopaka could be sometimes, he was a good fighter, and Pohatu just found himself alright around the guy.

The Toa of Ice put his shield arm behind Pohatu's shoulders to brace him and help steer. Pohatu grabbed onto Kopaka as well. The two nodded their readiness, then activated their masks together and sped off toward Po-Wahi, leaving stone arms and cages, ice spheres and towers, a broken Kopaka statue, and a squad of defeated Kohrok behind.


	6. Chapter 6

Gali crouched next to Pohatu on a ledge which also served as an opening to a small cave, overlooking the Tiro Canyon. The two were located somewhere between Onu-Wahi and Po-Wahi, overlooking a valley. "Are you sure this will work, Pohatu?"

"It has to," the Stone Toa answered. "We can't outfight the Bohrok—not without risking more harm to the island. So we have to outsmart them. This canyon is our trap, Gali." He recalled the steps they had taken to get to this point. "Onua dug a tunnel from the canyon wall to the sea, then Kopaka froze the tunnel entrance solid—like plugging a hole in a dam."

Gali could see where the plan was going, but it was hard to shake any feeling of uneasiness when facing dozens of enemies. They hadn't had any experience with these kinds of numbers before. She stood back up. "I hope you planned well, then."

Pohatu put a friendly hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Well, when the Bohrok come, I'll—" He paused when he heard a familiar sound.

_Chikt chikt chikt chikt chikt chikt chikt chikt… _

"The Tahnok are here!" Gali cried softly.

Pohatu turned to a boulder sitting nearby. "Then let's make them feel welcome!" With his Golden Kanohi triggered and his mighty foot kicking the boulder, it flew toward the ice plug, shattering straight through it. As soon as it penetrated the ice, water began gushing out. "Rock shatters ice…" Pohatu said, as he watched the flow sweep up the surprised red creatures, "…and fire meets water!"

Gali immediately dove off the ledge, only a little concerned that she could already hear the water hissing from coming in contact with several of the Bohrok's fire shields. She didn't know if the Tahnok could deactivate their heat or not, but if they could, they certainly hadn't.

"The Tahnok will not be stunned for long," she reminded herself. "I will have to be swift to gather their Krana!" She splashed into the pool of water, immediately feeling the temperature shooting up. _But will even my speed be enough when the waters have already begun to boil? _she wondered. _Already it feels like I am swimming in a cauldron! I can survive in the icy cold of the sea bottom…I can only hope I have the strength to survive this._

X X X

Kaj walked by two Onu-Matoan homes, carrying a sub-assembly of machinery. Light showed out of the windows and doors of the dwellings, showing that Onu-Koro was on its way to recovery. In front of one of them, though, a defeated and motionless Gahlok lay with its headplate open and Krana missing.

Kaj sighed at the reminder of the battle. From one of the dwellings, Zemya came out. He looked toward Kaj, and the two nodded a mutual greeting. Then Kaj continued carrying his piece over to the Boxor assembly grounds. Nuparu's invention had retaken Onu-Koro, temporarily. Now everyone was doing their share to help move the device into mass production.

"…and I need a full report of the state of the Great Mine," Onepu ordered at the site. He pointed back and forth between his recipients. "Understood?"

"Yes, Captain," Damek replied. "But the Mine could be treacherous after the flood. Perhaps—"

During the conversation, Onepu looked over, then did a double-take, surprised at what he saw. "Well, well! What have we here?" he wondered, both amused and curious. Damek turned to look as well.

From the nearest gate to the two, a small platoon of Ta-Matoran were entering. The one leading the group, who wore a yellow Kanohi Hau, was flanked by two more when he arrived inside the village limits. He looked around the cave in which the village rested, a grim expression forming behind his mask. His shoulders slumped just barely at the sight of the washed-out earth village.

Onepu knew him, of course, and eagerly approached in greeting. "Jala! How surprising to see you so far from Ta-Koro in dangerous times," he said with a salute. An Ussal Crab dutifully came near the Onu-Matoran, then backed away when it realized they did not need a taxi crab, despite standing by the sign.

Jala returned the military salute with his own. "Vakama has sent my guard and I to aid in the defense against the Bohrok," the Ta-Matoran explained as he glanced back at his soldiers. With a single nod, the two of them saluted their commander and walked off to patrol other entrances. "Solidarity is vital to all the villages, now more than ever," Jala elaborated, turning back to Onepu.

Onepu smiled. "Still as duty-bound as ever, I see!" The Onu-Matoran noticed Jala's confused expression by his seemingly inappropriate positive attitude. He walked over to the Ta-Matoran and put an arm over his shoulder. "…but I'm afraid you have arrived a little late to be of aid this time!"

The Ussal captain began walking the two of them further into Onu-Koro. They passed merchant shops, huts, and even mining caves. One Matoran was standing over a disabled Gahlok, apparently stripping it for certain parts. "Matters were grim not long ago, true," Onepu explained as they walked, "but with the help of the Boxors, the Gahlok were no match for our cunning!"

The two stopped. "Boxors?" Jala asked, unfamiliar with the term. He thought maybe it was some kind of previously unknown Rahi.

"Certainly! Remarkable machines," Onepu answered proudly. He patted Jala on the shoulder and pulled his arm away. "I must return to my own duties, but no doubt Nuparu or the Chronicler would be more than happy to bring you up to speed."

"Hm… The Chronicler is here?" Jala asked, surprised.

Onepu was surprised that Jala was surprised. "Where else?" he returned. "It is from our great undercity that the push back against the Bohrok shall commence!" Onepu looked off toward three Onu-Matoran and an Ussal crab huddling, waiting for him across a bridge that spanned a small stream. "We shall meet again later," he assured Jala. "For now, I must turn to other matters." Onepu turned and started toward his constituents, walking away from Jala and waving behind him. "Farewell!" he said brightly.

Jala watched after him, considering the matter. His gut feeling was that the matter should be kept serious until resolved, but he didn't want to renounce Onepu's confidence until he saw the machines in action, himself, either. Intrigued, he approached a pair of Onu-Matoran working on one of the 'Boxors.' Mamru was sitting on top of the tall orange and black exo-suit, while Tehutti was lower by the feet. Tehutti looked to Mamru for clearance and the latter nodded, causing Tehutti to light up the concentrated heatstone in a handheld tool and begin to fuse the metal. Behind the pilot seat of the device was a Bohrok shield hiding most of the hardware, which looked almost too similar to the original Bohrok for Jala.

"Hello!"

The Ta-Matoran turned at the sound to see Takua approaching, his iconic Chronicler's bag still on his back.

"Good to see you again," Takua greeted amicably.

"And you, too, Chronicler, in this time of danger," Jala returned. "I believe the last battle we shared was at Kini-Nui. For someone outside of the guard, you seem to make your way around the island."

Takua gave a small shrug. "I'm just trying to help where people need it."

Jala looked around, noting the production of Boxors in the area. Every pair of hands was helping in the battle effort. "Yes, it seems like the Onu-Matoran are doing well, and do not need our help."

Takua sensed the disapproval in his voice. "You don't believe in them," he noted.

Jala rocked his head back and forth, trying to word his thoughts accurately. "I believe in the heart of the Matoran. But arrogance and self sustenance can go too far. We should have learned that before the Great War; you and your Company finally showed us how to fight together." He glanced over at Onepu saddling his Ussal crab as Onu-Matoran pilots entered their finished Boxor machines. "Now we are separate again," he finished. "It seems to me the Onu-Matoran might have a case of 'tunnel vision…'"

Takua looked also, seeing the large machines walk away for distribution. "Captain, if there's anything I learned from my adventures as Chronicler and a temporary guardsman, it's that help can come in many forms." He turned back to him. "I know Onepu—he probably forgot to tell you that some models of the Boxors were made for Matoran outside of the earth village."

Jala took a second to understand. Then he nodded in admittance. "Yes…he left that part out."

Takua smiled back. "He is prideful and hopeful, and after even a small victory, I won't take that from him. The Matoran need courage."

"That's a good point, Chronicler," Jala answered. "He has done his duty well so far."

Takua walked toward another trio of stationary Boxors. "These are ours," he said with a smile. "It's actually fortunate you showed up. When Nuparu told me I was supposed to get these back to Ta-Koro, I wasn't sure how I would do it alone!"

Jala looked up at the machines, feeling hope, anticipation, and yes—even pride—begin to rise in him, too. He blew his Ta-Matoran horn in a series of blows, so his fellow guards across the village would not think there was an attack. When they arrived, he explained the situation and they climbed into their machines.

The Ta-Matoran quickly found that the controls were intuitive and user friendly—compliments to Nuparu's perfected work. As Jala's companions began driving the Boxors back to Ta-Koro, Jala turned his vehicle to face Takua. "Are you returning to Ta-Koro as well, Chronicler?" he asked. Moving a control stick in the cockpit, he lowered on of the long arms, its hook nearly touching the ground. "You could hitch a ride, and see one of these for yourself."

"Well, I've seen them enough during my time talking to the Onu-Matoran here, but I'll take the ride, anyway, thanks," Takua answered, climbing onto the arm to rest on the Bohrok headplate at the top of the machine. He looked down at his friend and smiled. "And you can call me Takua, Captain."

"In that case," Jala returned, as he started them back toward the village of fire, "call me Jala."

"Yes, _sir_."

Even Jala chuckled at that.

X X X

Staring down at the Krana throbbing within the Tahnok's bright red headplate, Kopaka fought off a shudder—not of cold, for the Toa of Ice never felt cold. Instead, he shuddered at the memory of what these creatures had done to his fiercely beautiful land.

After leaving the others, he had hurried to his village, Ko-Koro. Thanks to its hidden location beneath an enormous ice field, the Bohrok hadn't come upon it yet, but when Kopaka explored the region of Ko-Wahi further, he quickly realized he was too late. The Bohrok were already there. Now, days later, The Three Brothers Bridge, an ice bridge spanning a deep chasm between three glaciers, was melted into a puddle. Nearby, a valley once covered in blossoms of snow moss had been charred, leaving only a black hole in the ground to show where it had been. One word had burned itself into Kopaka's mind—_Tahnok._

The Toa of Ice had fought Kohrok and Tahnok in this region. The village did eventually suffer an attack, but with his help, the Matoran escaped. Then, later, his teaming with Pohatu had actually produced results, helping him to finish gathering his set of Krana. Now, he was back to check on the land of Ko-Wahi.

Kopaka had trailed the Tahnok to the slopes of Mount Ihu. He had battled the swarm with every bit of power he had, eventually managing to freeze one's fire shield into a block of ice while the others scattered in search of easier targets…but it was only a matter of time before more Bohrok broke through to Ko-Koro and finished what they had started—melting away the village as if it had never been. Kopaka had been tempted to stay with his villagers and lead them into battle, but he decided that if the other Toa had discovered any important information about the enemy, he should be sure to find out.

He had gone to Po-Wahi first, lingering there just long enough to lend some help to Pohatu, Gali, and Onua, who were fending off a swarm of Tahnok. Now he was heading to Ta-Wahi to see if Tahu was okay. _Who would've guessed that _I'd _be rushing around checking on the others? _he thought with a smile. As he continued on his way, he spied a red creature in the distance—much like a Tahnok in appearance, but quite a bit smaller. It was one of the smaller, more nimble beasts known as the Bohrok Va, which acted as scouts and messengers.

Kopaka glanced around, expecting to see the rest of the swarm somewhere nearby, but there was no other sign of movement—just the solitary Tahnok Va climbing down the mountain toward the interior section of the island. "Odd," Kopaka said to himself, watching the creature curiously. "I wonder where it's going all by itself?" He skied down the slope, keeping the Tahnok Va in sight. The rendezvous with Tahu could wait—for now, it seemed more important to see where this creature was heading.

Soon the Tahnok Va had led Kopaka down through the foothills of Mount Ihu into the area of cold, rocky plains lying between Ko-Wahi and Le-Wahi. It continued on until it reached a flat, low-lying area littered with enormous boulders. _What is it doing? _Kopaka wondered, staying out of sight behind a boulder.

Hearing an abrupt, alien sound Kopaka spun just in time to avoid a noxious stream of yellowish-green liquid. The stream hit a cluster of boulders instead, and within seconds the solid rocks had melted away into nothing but a bit of greenish steam. _Acid, _Kopaka thought grimly. _So these are the Lehvak. _

The green-colored Bohrok were swarming toward him, destroying everything in their path with spurts of their deadly acid. Kopaka lifted his ice blade, preparing to defend himself. But the swarms had no interest in him. They moved on to the east, straight toward the line of treetops visible in the distance.

_They are bringing their blight to the lands of Toa Lewa, _Kopaka thought. _I hope he is prepared to meet them. _He turned to check on the progress of the little red creature he was following…but where was it? The Tahnok Va was nowhere to be seen.

Kopaka scanned the horizon, puzzled and annoyed. There was no way the creature could have moved out of sight so quickly—not in this mostly open area. He leaped onto the tallest boulder in the area, scanning the rock-strewn ground all around. He zeroed in on a cluster of especially large boulders, which formed a sort of ring—like a campfire circle for giants. There. It was the only place the Tahnok Va could be hiding.

Leaping easily to another large rock, Kopaka kept his gaze trained on the circle of boulders. _There, _he thought, his head swiveling to focus on a flash of movement to the west. _What was that? _He stopped and stared. The movement came again—a flash of sunlight against polished bronze. A small creature came into sight—a Pahrak Va.

The Pahrak Va trundled over the rocky ground, heading straight toward the circle of huge boulders. A moment later, it squeezed into a crevice between the two largest rocks and disappeared. Kopaka waited, but there was no further sign of the creature.

Kopaka knew that with every second, the Bohrok were destroying more of Mata Nui. But he needed to know what these Bohrok Va were up to. So he waited. And waited. Unlike some of the more impulsive Toa, Kopaka understood very well that it didn't always pay to be in a hurry.

His patience paid off. Soon more Bohrok arrived and disappeared within the circle of rocks. _Alright,_ Kopaka thought at last. _There must be at least half a dozen in that circle by now. I think it's time to see what they're doing in there. _He stood and glanced toward the ground, judging the distance. Then he prepared to jump—but stopped in shock with one foot held in the air.

Bohrok! Dozens and dozens of them came pouring out of the rock circle, scattering in all directions. Kopaka blinked, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. But no—just below the boulder where he stood, a swarm of Tahnok passed so close that he could feel the heat rising from their shiny red bodies.

Of course. There had to be some sort of cave or tunnel in the center of those boulders. But a tunnel to where…? The stream of Bohrok stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Moments later, the creatures had disappeared, each swarm headed for a different region of Mata Nui.

Kopaka knew what he had to do. Leaping to the ground, he strode toward the rock circle. When he reached it, he realized the boulders were even larger than they'd looked from a distance. Even the smallest rose many bios above his head. Walking around the circle, Kopaka soon spotted an entrance burned straight through one of the rocks, large enough for several Bohrok to pass through side by side. He stepped through himself, ice blade at the ready. But it fell to his side in shock when he saw it.

A tunnel.

Not just a tunnel, but an enormous, yawning chasm in the ground. It plunged straight down into the earth, neither narrowing nor sloping before its depths were lost in the darkness below. And all around the wall, clambering up along steep channels carved in the stone, were more Bohrok. Dozens of them—no, hundreds. Ten times larger than any of the swarms he'd seen. Here and there a Bohrok Va scurried downward into the darkness, but the rest were moving in one direction only—upward, toward the surface. Toward the helpless lands of Mata Nui.

Kopaka gulped. This wasn't what he had expected to find. And it changed everything…. He was tempted to climb down those rough, narrow trails to search for for some answers—but no. There were too many of them for Kopaka alone. He needed to find the others.

He just hoped they weren't already too late.

X X X

Gali was nearing the end of her job…and her endurance. This squad of Tahnok seemed to be comprised mainly of the same few roles of Krana, and the temperature had not stopped rising. She looked at a rope wrapped around her wrist, trailing her collected Krana behind her in the waters, the rope's twine laced through the eyeholes of the Krana.

_I have been fortunate, _she told herself. _The shock of the flood slowed the Tahnok enough for me to claim some Krana…but these boiling waters sap my strength—I must reach the surface! _

The Toa of Water turned and started pedaling upward when she was stopped by a sight. _Those Tahnok up ahead—what are they doing? _She wondered, watching three Tahnok awkwardly swim together around a rock formation jutting out of the wall. They raised their shields and swam closer to where the precipice extended. _Melting the rock wall!? _Gali realized, just as the rock broke free and sank to collide with her.

X X X

Tahu stood outside the gates of Ta-Koro, with his villagers assembled before him. "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge," he began, "one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other. Though my powers are great, this is not a struggle for Toa, alone. Every elder, every villager, is like a single stone…" He raised and ignited his fire sword. "…and together, you can build a wall so mighty that no Bohrok could ever hope to bring it down!"

He paused for a moment as the assembly cheered in enthusiasm. Though unity wasn't his favorite virtue all the time in his own team, right now, his people needed it.

When the applause began to die down, he continued. "With Vakama, Jala, and the rest of you guarding Ta-Koro, our village will stand. And I pledge to you that as Toa of Fire I will do all I can to keep you and our home safe from harm. Remember—your bravery, your wisdom, your spirit, make you as mighty as any Toa! Together, we will prevail!" Tahu raised both arms this time, again causing an uproar of encouragement.

Another round of praise came. "We are with you, Toa of Fire!"

It was then that Tahu felt the temperature drop slightly and heard the familiar sound of elemental ice. He feared for a moment that it might be a squad of Kohrok returning to continue their attack, but when he turned, he instead saw his ice brother, Kopaka, standing on a ramp of ice.

"They will need their strength," he said, "we all will." He stepped off the ice ramp next to his fellow Toa. He held out one of his collected Krana, a Krana Ca. "These Krana are not objects of power, like our Kanohi—they are alive!"

"Alive?" Tahu repeated, struggling to believe it. Some gasps and chatter from the Ta-Matoran indicated this was quite new to them as well.

"Alive, and worse," Kopaka continued. "Prepare yourself, my brother, to learn the darkest secret yet!"

X X X

Lewa tripped over a Bula root, almost falling to the ground. He growled in anger. Clutter. It was all clutter—these roots, these trees, the leaves and branches and stems and trunks. The water and the rocks. The soil, the sucking, spongy earth, beneath everything else. All of it. It had to go.

_Clean it. _The words echoed in his head, clear and strong and right. _Clean it all. It must be cleaned. _

"It must be cleaned," Lewa muttered.

He blinked, confused by the sound of his own voice. What had he just said? 'It must be cleaned.' What did that mean? It didn't make sense.

_It's a_—_a quest of some kind,_ he thought slowly. _A duty. But I thought_—_I thought I already had a quest. A duty. Something I was supposed to_—_supposed to_— As his thoughts trailed off into bewilderment, he was startled to notice that he now held the tree root—the one that had tripped him—in his hands. How had that happened? He glanced down and saw a gouge in the earth where the root had been ripped free.

_Did I do that? _he wondered unsurely. _Why?_

Before he could come up with an answer, he found himself raising his arms. A moment later, a howling gale was whirling around him. The wind tore the Bula tree straight out of the ground and tossed it aside.

_Clean it all,_ Lewa thought, moving on. _It must be cleaned. _


	7. Chapter 7

_Wall of History, Record 5—Turaga Shares Knowledge of the Bohrok_

**VAKAMA EXPLAINS MYSTERIOUS POWERS OF KRANA**

_In recent weeks, Mata Nui has fallen prey to swarms of strange creatures called Bohrok. These Bohrok are said to be driven by the Krana they carry inside them—but little is known about these Krana. What do they do? Where did they come from? Can even the Toa overcome them? Turaga Vakama shared his vast knowledge of Mata Nui—truth and legend—in the hope of answering these vital questions._

"_Vakama, Turaga of Ta-Koro, what is a Krana?" I asked._

_He answered, "The Krana are the true power behind the Bohrok swarms. They provide the direction and inspiration to each Bohrok. There are eight varieties, each having different powers. When placed inside a Bohrok, a Krana drives the Bohrok to perform tasks. Krana can even be said to be the "brains" of the Bohrok."_

"_Can the Krana function independently of the Bohrok, or do they act more like the Kanohi Masks of Power?" I inquired. _

"_We have seen a number of instances where Krana have attached themselves to their foes and taken control of their bodies," Vakama said. "Perhaps the most tragic example of this was in Le-Koro, not so long ago? It seems that when a Bohrok senses danger, it sets its Krana free, and the Krana attempts to add its foe to the swarm. Whether there is any way to resist the power of the Krana, I do not yet know."_

_I shuddered at that. "These Krana are truly a terrible menace to all who dwell on Mata Nui."_

_Vakama nodded in agreement. "Yes, they are cunning and powerful. We can only hope that the Toa, in their wisdom, can find a way to end this threat to our land."_

_Vakama had more to share, but that will be revealed at a later time. For now, see to the defenses of your villages—there is no way to know where or when the Bohrok will next appear._

_-Takua, The Chronicler-_

X X X

Back up on the cliff, Pohatu grew tired of waiting. _She's been down there too long! _he told himself once more. "Gali! I'm coming in after you!" He took two steps back, preparing to leap into the cauldron after his friend.

That was when the surface of the water exploded, sending the Toa of Water flying out like a dart. "No, Pohatu! Stay there!" She used her Golden Kanohi to levitate through the air using the force of the jet she had used, landing beside Pohatu and crouching.

"Are you alright?" Pohatu asked, lowering himself to her.

"Barely. If I had been even a little too slow…but my Golden Kanohi made me fast enough to escape." She touched the prized mask that all six of them had received not long ago. "What matters is I have four Krana," she said, holding up her strand of the collected things, "and we must go—now!"

"Why?" Pohatu asked as she stood up. "Didn't the water stop the Tahnok?"

Gali looked over the edge. "I am not certain anything can. Look!"

Pohatu looked, but had trouble believing. A row of Tahnok had raised out of the water (still boiling), and were now raising themselves up on the rock edifice, planting one shield in after another. "They're melting handholds into the rock!"

"Pohatu, our masks!" Gali called, ordering them to use their masks to float upward and out of the cave and valley altogether.

As they arose back to the surface of the island, Pohatu asked, "Won't they follow us?"

Gali held up her strand of Krana. "It depends on how badly they want these back."

The two landed at the tunnel mouth which looked out onto a beach. Rather than run out into the open, however, Pohatu momentarily called forth a dome of stone to rise over and conceal them. Then he put his audio receptor to the stone and listened. After a while he said, "No sign of them. Let's go—you never know, Krana might be able to call for help somehow."

As the two Toa walked along the beach, Gali continued the conversation. "There is no telling what they can do. Drive the Bohrok on their insane mission…control others…"

"Then you believe what Vakama said?" Pohatu asked, looking over at her and the Krana Za she was inspecting.

"That Krana can control the mind of anyone who wears one? Yes…and that just makes me more concerned for others—especially Lewa." Gali put the Krana away and quickened her pace, causing Pohatu to keep up. "Days have passed since he left for Le-Koro," she went on. "If he encountered a Bohrok swarm, who knows what might have happened? I cannot rest until I know the answer, Pohatu—where can Lewa be?"

X X X

Onua walked steadily through the rocky wastes near the southern border of Po-Wahi, wondering how the battle was going back in Po-Koro. After meeting up with Pohatu and Gali and helping them set a trap for a swarm of marauding Tahnok, he had left them to spring the trap themselves. Although he hadn't heard Gali's question, it bothered him, too. Kopaka had already departed to check on Tahu, which left Lewa the only Toa unaccounted for. Onua had set out to find him. _I hope Lewa is okay, _Onua thought with a flash of worry. _He can be so impulsive_—_acting without thinking, putting courage before caution. And these Bohrok swarms are really nothing for one Toa to tackle alone, no matter how bold and strong. _

The fact had become clearer with every passing hour. Everywhere he turned, Onua saw more of the Bohrok swarms—or the destruction they'd left behind. The creatures seemed willing to leave nothing untouched, from the trees to the rivers, to the very land itself. He hadn't admitted it to the others, but Onua was truly worried about the Air Toa. Lewa had been gone a long time—Onua was starting to wonder if it hadn't been foolish to separate in the first place.

Calling upon the power of his Kanohi Mask for greater speed, he soon reached the region near Le-Koro. He slowed down and looked around, noting the charred foliage and uprooted trees on all sides. He also noticed several steaming greenish puddles on the ground. "Acid," he muttered, not liking what this might mean. He stepped forward carefully, his senses on the alert. The last thing he wanted was to let the Bohrok take him by surprise.

His caution alerted him to a squad of Lehvak Va crossing not far in front of him. _May as well slow them down while we can, _he thought, making the ground erupt beneath them, scattering them, their swords, and the extra Krana they carried…and something else. A larger object flew through the air before landing with a _splat _on the jungle floor. Curious, the Toa of Earth moved closer.

Suddenly Onua stopped, noticing it glinting golden in the sunlight. It was a Kanohi Mask—Lewa's mask, lying on the ground, abandoned. He bent to pick it up, not liking what this might mean. He walked toward the outskirts of the treetop town. As he drew closer, Onua became aware of a sound somewhere ahead. Onua took a cautious step forward, then another. _This jungle makes me nervous, _he thought. _All I have to do is find Lewa, and then I can get out of here. _

"I don't think it's going to be that easy," a cold, metallic voice spoke from directly behind him.

"Lewa!" Onua gasped—just as a mighty gust of wind sent him spinning backward onto the ground.

X X X

_Wall of History, Record 6—Island Wildlife on the Move_

**LOCAL NATURALISTS CONCERNED**

_The arrival of the Bohrok swarms has taken a serious toll on island creatures. Gahlok activity off the coast has driven a number of Takea closer to the shore, where they menace diving Taku and disrupt the migration of the Ruki schools._

_One Ga-Koro fisherman commented, "In addition to threatening our homes, the Bohrok are also threatening our livelihood!"_

_The deforestation of the Le-Wahi jungle has sent herds of horned Vako and marsupial Fusa wandering deep into the desert to compete for food with the native ostrich-like Husi flocks. The Hoi turtles and Kuna bog snakes have lost the shelter of the trees, making them easy prey for Rahi. Destruction of Fikou webs has caused the tree spiders to flee to the high jungle canopy, territory of the swift-flying Gukko birds._

_The Ussal-riding defense force of Onu-Koro has had its hands full with a surge in Kofo-Jaga, chased from their hidden lairs, while scouts warn that the mountain-shaking of the Nuhvok and Pahrak has brought a few dangerous Makika toads out of their caves. In fiery Ta-Wahi, besieged by the frozen Kohrak, the tunnels of displaced Hoto firebugs have been creating sinkholes and causing hut collapses. Even the fierce Hikaki (more commonly known as dragon lizards) have been forced to abandon their ancient nesting grounds._

_The Bohrok swarms are a threat to every creature of Mata Nui, from Matoran to Rahi. Hopefully, the swarms will be contained soon before irreparable damage is done to the island._

_-Takua, The Chronicler-_

X X X

"Look, Tahu! There is the proof you demanded!" Kopaka declared, gesturing with an outstretched hand.

Tahu's eyes narrowed. "No wonder Vakama knew so much about the Bohrok. They are not creatures from some other land—they come from within Mata Nui itself!"

The two Toa stared into the chasm Kopaka had found, watching an army of Bohrok Va exit onto the island. Tahu jumped off and began to levitate downward. "The time has come to end this, Kopaka! With our combined powers, we can—"

"Have you learned nothing?" Kopaka interrupted, still up on the ledge. "Charging in there now will not save the island. The Krana are the key!"

Tahu's voice was ice cold, coming rather close to Kopaka's usual tone: "Every moment we delay, the Bohrok and Bohrok Va are free to overrun this land." He stopped for a moment, thinking. Kopaka waited in silence. Finally, Tahu went on, "Still, you are right. As long as our people are threatened, we don't have the luxury of being merely warriors." He levitated back up to where Kopaka was. "So I will heed your advice…this time."

The two began to make their way back to the surface. While they did, Kopaka mentioned the Toa's safety: "Gali is with Pohatu, so both should be safe. But Onua left to search for the missing Lewa and has not been heard from."

"I would not worry about Onua," Tahu said over his shoulder. "Out of all of us, the Toa of Earth is the one who can take care of himself."

X X X

Onua went flying into yet another tree, utterly crippling that one, as well. He had nothing personal against Tahu, but would have disagreed right at the moment. The source of his short-lived airtime had been what felt like a solid object made from air alone. When I went looking for Lewa, he thought with a strain, I did not think success would be quite so—NNGMM—painful.

"Surprise," Lewa sneered through the pulsing, red Krana mask. "I heard you were looking for me. So here I am!"

Onua was speechless—it was Lewa, but this was not the Lewa he knew. The Air Toa wore a new mask now—a Bohrok's Krana—and behind it, his eyes burned with anger. "Don't try to fight me, Onua. You can't win. We're too strong."

Perhaps I should tunnel beneath him, Onua thought with uncertainty. If I can knock him off balance long enough to get my hands on that Krana…

"Just go ahead and try it, earthworm," Lewa said with a laugh. There was no hint of the real Lewa in the voice. "You'll find the ground here a bit marshier than in your wormholes down in Onu-Wahi. You'll find me a bit quicker than a worm, too."

"What—you—you read my thoughts, Lewa?" Onua stammered in surprise.

Krana Lewa chuckled. "I am a Bohrok Za, a squad leader," he said. "My telepathic powers are meant to communicate with my swarm. But your thoughts are so slow and transparent that I can read them with no effort at all."

Onua frowned. His chances were not looking good at the moment. The creature before him had not only the ruthlessness of the Bohrok, but also the strength and knowledge of Toa Lewa. It seemed an invincible combination.

But I have faced many invincible challenges before and prevailed, he reminded himself. Perhaps if I approach things a different way…

"There is no other way," Lewa hissed, leaping forward. There was no way Onua could dodge in time. He was flung backward and landed against a tree trunk with a thud. He shook his head to clear it. When he stood, he saw Lewa watching him. Lewa's body twisted suddenly, as if fighting against itself. "Onua, get away from here—please!" Lewa blurted, the real Lewa. "Flee before I am forced to harm you."

"I think I have a better idea," Onua muttered, as he straightened his mask. He leaped forward, smashing the ground with his clawed fists. A great wave of earth rose up like a tidal wave, sweeping toward the Krana Lewa. But the infected Toa somersaulted easily over the passing quake, though he backed up a good several feet. "Now let's try this again."

"Hurry-leave while there's still time," Lewa cried, his voice filled with pain. He pointed his axe at Onua, threatening him again, though the axe was visibly shaking. "I can feel-know the power building! Even your strength won't be able to defeat me soon."

Onua wasn't sure what to try next. Lewa was strong in battle—too strong. He wasn't sure he could defeat him. But he certainly wasn't going to allow this…this Krana thing to see that. Or was he right in thinking of Lewa that way? No matter what he might wear on his face, beneath the mask he was still Lewa—Toa, friend, hero.

Onua calmly walked closer. "I know the Krana controls your body, Lewa, but not your will." He watched the axe shake more and more as he approached. "If it is so strong that it can make you harm a friend, then go ahead—I will not defend myself. But I know you, Lewa. I have fought beside you…" Onua gently put his claw on the head of the axe but firmly lowered it. "…and I know you are stronger than this—this parasite."

Onua looked from his claw to Lewa's covered face once again, looking deep through the eyeholes of the Krana. Reaching out with his free claw, he clasped Lewa's hand in his own. He stared into his friend's eyes—looking past the sickly reddish glow of the Krana mask, searching for the real Lewa beneath. "You are a Toa," Onua finished simply. "Prove yourself worthy of the name."

And he waited to see what would happen.


	8. Chapter 8

"Hurry, Pohatu! This is no time to admire the scenery," Gali chided.

"I know…sorry, Gali," Pohatu said, catching up. "I was just remembering when these canyons were full of life. The Matoran used to live in the caves above—before the Bohrok drove them away."

A rumbling of movement could be heard in the distance, causing the two to turn. Gali saw the Tahnok first. "It looks as if they mean to do the same to us!"

Pohatu glanced at their string of prizes he carried over his shoulder. "Think maybe they want all these Krana back?" he asked the Water Toa. He dug his hands into the stone ground, waiting for the right moment. "Well, that's just too bad—because my people want their _homes _back!" With that, the Tahnok had nearly arrived. Pohatu flung his hands up, raising a slab of stone that the Tahnok piled into. The first few were flung a long distance from where the Toa were. The next bunch either tumbled backward or rammed into the wall.

Gali stood on a ledge above. "There is moisture in the air, even in this arid place. And where there is moisture, I can make a flood!" She raised her hooks and commanded the creation of water, resulting in massive waves that swept the Tahnok this way and that.

"Good work, Gali!" Pohatu complimented. "But there will be more Bohrok waiting along our path."

"The Krana want to be free," Gali muttered softly, briefly looking at one in her grip.

Pohatu brought his hands into fists. "They won't stop us! Let's go find the others—it's time to end this threat, once and for all!"

X X X

Lewa's eyes widened as his body began to visibly fight the Krana even more—his arms and torso were shaking now, driven by two different wills. "My energies are _yours_, Toa of Air!" Onua pressed. "Be free!"

"Yes…" Lewa breathed. "Toa…my people…my friends!" He looked from his arm holding his axe to his other, ready to conjure his air power, to his Toa-brother. "I will not harm Onua, creature…I will not!" With that, his free hand rushed to his face and ripped the Krana off. As soon as it left him, he sagged to the forest floor.

Onua kneeled next to Lewa, putting a gentle claw on his shoulder. "Easy, my brother. Good work, and thank you. Here—you will need this."

Lewa looked up to see Onua holding out a Golden Miru. It looked out of place being held by Onua's dark form, but Lewa knew now that Onua could hold as much light as Tahu, sometimes. It certainly did feel good to see its familiar streamlined shape again.

"We all suspected you encountered trouble. I took this away from a party of Lehvak Va, at the edge of the forest. That is how I _knew _you were in danger," Onua explained.

"More than bad-danger," Lewa said, accepting his Kanohi and refitting it. "I know now, Onua. I know why the Bohrok are here!"

Onua suddenly glanced up. "Perhaps for the same reason those Lehvak are charging us." Lewa got to his feet and also looked, seeing the green Bohrok burn their way through the jungle. Before he could say anything, Onua spoke again. "But not to worry…I brought friends."

The next sight that occurred was the entrance of more persons in the area, but they were more bizarre than anything Lewa had seen before. They were Onu-Matoran, but harbored in some kind of personalized machine that moved them through the trees. The legs moved with those of the Matoran pilots, and the arms, long and thin ending with hooks, were controlled by switches.

"What _are_ those things?" the Toa of Air asked.

"The Matoran have learned that the Bohrok do not truly live," Onua explained. "They are merely artificial life…mechanical creations. The villagers salvaged parts from fallen Bohrok to build their Boxor vehicles, which you see here."

Lewa watched the Boxors surround clumps of Lehvak and begin their fights. Some machines went down, suffering critical damage from the Bohrok's acid shields, with the Matoran still managing to escape. Others successfully opened the headplates of the Bohrok and removed their Krana, rendering the Bohrok immobile. "They will need them," Lewa eventually said. "When I wore the mean-Krana, I could hear the voices of the big-swarms. We must act now, Onua, or nothing will be left of Mata Nui!"

X X X

Under the cover of nightfall in Le-Wahi, on the jungle floor a makeshift camp was set up, with several Boxor vehicles stationed around it. Two Matoran emerged from the darkness of nighttime and entered the well-lit tent at the proper place and time. Inside, they were revealed to be Tamaru and Kongu of Le-Koro. Already in the tent were Takua and Nuparu.

"It is ever-good to see-know you," Tamaru said, the sources of light—several insects of the forest—buzzed calmly around his mask, occasionally visiting the center of the hut. "If only it were not dark-time again."

Takua walked over to them. He clasped both hands with Tamaru's, shaking his and looking from one Matoran to the other. "I am glad you are both safe, my old friends. How many are left?"

Tamaru looked at Kongu.

"None," Kongu answered. "Tamaru and I alone away-escaped and avoided our village's fate-end." He hung and shook his head. "Le-Koro is lost! Mighty Toa Lewa is fallen!" He sighed a heavy sigh.

Takua's features lit up as he raised an encouraging hand. "No, Kongu!" Lewa is safe!" Both Le-Matoran started at that, looking at each other, confused. "Onua saved him, but they had to join the other Toa," Takua explained. "They've sent us back to help Le-Koro!" Takua gestured over his shoulder to Nuparu and the doorway in the back of the tent. "These Boxors can defeat the Bohrok!"

Nuparu eagerly nodded twice to show his confidence.

"Not Nuhvok," Kongu said, his optimism lacking. "Oak-new machines Boxors are, but Nuhvok invincible in dense jungle!" He looked outside to the machines, where Damek and Taipu were making repairs and performing maintenance checks. "Only baldland, maybe, Boxors stand a chance!"

Nuparu turned to Takua. "'Baldland'?" he asked.

"He means open country," Takua explained, as he pointed, "outside the jungle. The Nuhvok are earth-dwellers; they're at home in tight quarters."

"Well, he's right about our chances," Nuparu replied with a small shrug. "The Boxors are good but we can't maneuver in these trees."

Takua approached his Le-Matoran friends, putting a hand on Tamaru's shoulder and looking between the two. "Hm…maybe I have an idea. Okay, here's the plan…"

X X X

The next peaceful morning awoke in Le-Wahi like it had for many centuries, but it continued like it had in the last few weeks. Here and there above the canopy, one could watch trees fall as the Bohrok cleared them away underneath the canopy. This was not organized planning, however, this was heated chasing.

Kongu hopped onto a springy leaf and jumped off, Tamaru right behind. Both landed sequentially on a tree branch before agilely jumping off to another point. Behind them on the forest floor, Nuhvok chased, downing more trees in the process.

Kongu landed and propped himself casually, standing on a branch and leaning against the tree. Tamaru lighted next to him. "Destroyers!" Kongu yelled down at the black Bohrok. "You cannot defeat Le-Koro!"

"Slowthink Nuhvok!" Tamaru added. He removed his mask and made faces, sticking out his tongue before calling, "Oldbone and bogfoot! Yaa!" He slapped his mask back on to see the results.

Incensed, the Nuhvok closest shook its head in confusion, then used its earth shields to deftly topple the tree the Matoran were in. It rocked back and forth, the earth suddenly too loose to hold it. Before long, it began to topple completely.

Atop the ride, Tamaru turned to his brother. "Windsprint Kongu!"

Before the tree hit the ground, the two were on the move again, spinning around tree branches, swinging on vines, and jumping from tree to tree. Kongu landed and jumped, then Tamaru landed and jumped…then a third Matoran too, right behind them, repeated their movements in chase before the tree was uprooted by the Nuhvok.

The two free Le-Matoran landed acrobatically on their hands and flipped multiple times, ending their flight in an open field. They turned back to the way they had come. Nuhvok could be seen at the tree line and coming into the clearing. Another figure landed from maneuvering through the trees…Turaga Matau. Around him, the enslaved population of Le-Koro similarly made an entrance.

"Ah…Kongu…Tamaru…" the air elder said, in his sickly, unenthusiastic voice. "I am glad you could join us. There is much work to be done." The Nuhvok present opened their headplates, preparing to truly finish off the Le-Matoran.

"NOW!" Kongu shouted, raising his arm.

A Krana-possessed Matoran cocked his head, only to plunge underground a second later. The same happened to two more Matoran flanking Matau, before he himself fell through a fake grass floor into a shallow underground pit. In the pit, he found himself struggling against both Nuparu and Takua. From other patches of fake grass, came Damek's and Taipu's Boxor machines, walking ominously toward the Nuhvok swarm and remaining Matoran.

"Onward! For Le-Koro!" Kongu shouted holding his arm out in the direction of the Bohrok. Then he, too, ran toward the destroyers of his home.

X X X

_Wall of History, Record 7—Le-Koro Liberated_

**BOXORS INSTRUMENTAL IN NUHVOK DEFEAT**

_The recent Bohrok invasion of the Le-Wahi jungle and Le-Koro resulted in the loss of many hightree villagers. Even Toa Lewa was overcome by the evil Krana! But thanks to the courage of Onua, Toa of Earth, Lewa has been freed, and now the mighty Toa search together beneath the surface of the island for the Bohrok nest. _

_Not forgetting the lost Matoran of Le-Koro, the Toa sent Nuparu, the Onu-Koro engineer, and myself—Takua the Chronicler—to meet under the cover of darkness with the last free villagers of Le-Koro. Together with the high-flying Kongu and Tamaru the bird-tamer, Le-Koro's liberation was planned and a cunning trap prepared for the Bohrok. _

_The brave Kongu and Tamaru led a force of Nuhvok and Krana-controlled villagers to the forest edge. Believing them trapped, the Bohrok prepared to capture the last of Le-Koro as two Nuhvok readied their Krana to be launched at Tamaru and Kongu—only to face a force of Boxors as they rose from underground hiding! Thanks to Nuparu's Boxor squad and the element of surprise, the Krana that controlled the Bohrok and Matoran were successfully removed. _

_The Turaga have called for a great feast and festival to celebrate this day's victory. A shaken but grateful Matau said, "At long last, the dark-dream is over. Sun-bright Le-Koro and her people are free! As we rebuild, our thoughts must turn to the Toa and the great hard-challenge that they face beneath Mata Nui. May they succeed in their quest!"_

_-Takua, The Chronicler-_

X X X

Tahu was uncharacteristically silent as he and Kopaka climbed the foothills at the base of the volcano. Thought he didn't like to admit it, he was a bit awed by the Bohrok nest the Ice Toa had just shown him. Tahu had been ready to charge down into the tunnel immediately, but Kopaka had convinced him to wait. It was time to join forces with the other Toa. _I suppose he was right about that, _Tahu thought with a grimace. _I hate it when he's right. _

How much time had passed since the Bohrok had first appeared? Tahu wasn't sure; he'd been too busy fighting them to keep track. All he knew was that there seemed to be endless numbers of swarms and that their attacks were taking a toll on Mata Nui.

They passed a jagged patch of ice jutting out of the rocks just ahead. Clearly, the Kohrak had been this way. Tahu waited until they had come even with the icy patch, then pointed his sword, blasting the ice into lava.

Kopaka shot him an unreadable glance. "We will be needing all of our power soon," he commented. "Waste it not."

Tahu scowled. "Waste?" he said. "The only thing wasted here is your breath when you tell me what to do."

"Yes, it seems so," Kopaka replied icily. "The Toa of Fire listens to none but himself."

Tahu's scowl deepened. "Is that supposed to be an insult?" he said. "Because I—"

Before he could finish the retort, a shout came from just down the slope. "Brother Tahu! Brother Kopaka! There you are!"

Tahu had never been so glad to hear Gali's voice. He spun around and peered down the slope. Two figures were hurrying up toward them. "Greetings, brothers!" Pohatu cried. "You'll be happy to hear that at least one Tahnok swarm is no more. What news do you have on your end?"

Tahu clanked his fist against Pohatu's, then Gali's. "Serious news," he said. "Kopaka tracked one of the Bohrok Va back to its nest."

"Nest?" Gali repeated curiously. "But how can that be? Nests are for birds and reptiles and other living things, while the Bohrok don't really live. They're just—"

"—vehicles for the Krana they carry within," Tahu finished for her with a nod. "Yes, we realize that now, too. But don't you see? The Bohrok and the Krana emerged from this nest. That means—"

"—that they spring from Mata Nui itself." This time it was Pohatu who finished the sentence. "They are not invaders from elsewhere, but creatures of the island just as all the others are."

"Right." Gali looked at each of the other Toa in turn. "So…why are they trying to destroy their own land?"

Nobody had an answer for that. Finally Tahu shrugged. "We don't need to understand them," he pointed out, impatience welling up in him like lava. "We just need to stop them. So what are we waiting for?"

"Onua and Lewa," Kopaka answered. "Where are they?"

"No one has seen Lewa since we parted in Ta-Koro weeks ago," Pohatu said. "Onua went to look for him, but we haven't seen him since then."

Tahu was ready for action. "So let's send a search party, or—"

"No need for that, brother Tahu," a voice sang out from behind a large stone outcropping. A moment later Lewa sprang into sight. He hurried toward the others.

"Lewa!" Gali cried with relief. "Are you alright? You look a bit—er, strange."

"And no wonder," Onua's familiar voice rang out from just behind Lewa. "Wait until you hear about the trouble our high-flying brother here got himself into."

Tahu glanced at Lewa, expecting a quip or other playful comment, but the Toa of Air seemed uncharacteristically somber. "Yes, I suppose you should all hear-know," Lewa said. "In case…well, in case anything should…should wrong-happen."

"What are you talking about, Lewa?" Gali asked with concern. "Did you have trouble with the Bohrok in Le-Wahi?"

"You could say that," Lewa said quietly. "Not only-just me, either. Le-Koro—Le-Koro is no more." He bowed his head.

Tahu wasn't sure what to say. He was used to Lewa being the fighty one among them, the lighthearted one who never took anything seriously. Seeing him like this was unsettling, to say the least. "What happened?" he asked gruffly as the silence stretched out uncomfortably.

"It was the Lehvak," Onua answered. "They captured the Le-Matoran and infected them by replacing their own masks with Krana. And when Lewa found them like that…well, perhaps you'd better tell the rest, brother Lewa."

Lewa looked uncomfortable. "I—they told me it was a physical entrapment only, that they needed the strength of a Toa to off-mask the Krana from their faces. I believed them. Why should I not? It is not the nature of a Le-Matoran to false-speak."

"Unless in the nature of a practical joke," Tahu murmured under his breath. When Lewa looked over at him, he cleared his throat. "Er, I mean, didn't you remember what the Turaga said? That the Krana, when worn, could steal the mind—even of a Toa?"

"I remember that now," Lewa admitted. "I didn't then. I was too quick-minded to help. And so I leaped right into the help-task, and before I knew it, my Kanohi was quick-snatched from one side while from the other, someone slipped the Krana over my face. By the time I caught on, it was too late. I was…one of them. And I didn't dare-risk harm-fighting my own people."

Tahu wasn't sure what to think. _How could that have happened? _he wondered uneasily. _How could ordinary Matoran_—_even a group of them, even with the cunning of a Bohrok guiding them_—_overpower a Toa? _He shook his head. _It would not have happened had it been me. _He glanced around at the others. Gali and Pohatu were exchanging a worried glance. Kopaka was staring at Lewa intently, as if trying to dissect him with his gaze.

Onua was the only one who seemed relaxed. "Don't look so fretful, my brothers and sister," he said. "The Le-Koro Matoran are free and safe…for now. The Onu-Matoran and their new technology rescued their air brethren. And, in the end, brother Lewa overcame the Krana's power on his own. I stood before him, allowing him to choose his own fate—and mine. And I was right. His will was strong enough to overcome the poison of the Krana."

"Only because you offered your own mind-strength to go with my own," Lewa said quietly. "Without that, I might never have found a way to self-free."

"That's the way it usually happens, isn't it?" Gali pointed out. "Even when an enemy is too strong for one to face alone, together we can find a way to prevail."

"Yes," Kopaka said. "And our greatest test of this unity comes now—as we go down into the nest."

"Nest?" Onua repeated. "What nest? What are you talking about?" The others quickly filled him in on what Kopaka had discovered. Onua nodded as he listened to Kopaka and Tahu's description. "What about the Krana?" he asked when they had finished. "Do we have all we need?" The six Toa quickly produced the Krana they all still carried. It didn't take long to determine that they'd collected more than enough.

"That one is the Krana Za," Lewa said, staring fixedly at one of the collected Gahlok Krana. "That's what I was—what was infecting me, I mean."

Gali glanced at him with concern. "Yes, it's what _infected _you," she said. "But never think that it is what you were. Never think that you _became _the Bohrok, because you didn't."

"Gali is right," Pohatu put in. "Lewa whatever you've been through, it's time to forget about that and focus on what's ahead. We'll need all our wits about us—no distractions."

"Yes, alright," Tahu said impatiently, not liking to think too much about Lewa's 'infection.' It made him uneasy—as if something alien had suddenly come into their midst. "Now come on. Let's go down to that nest and see if we can figure out what we're supposed to do with these Krana."

"How do we know we're supposed to take them underground, into the nest?" Gali wondered.

Tahu shrugged. "How do we know we're not?"

"But we still don't know anything about them," Onua added worriedly. "We don't even know why they want to destroy things, or why they chose this moment to emerge, or—"

"Makuta," Lewa interjected suddenly. "It was Makuta. He released the many-swarms. It was not yet the right time, the time he had planned—but he out-sent them early, hoping to stop us."

"What?" Pohatu stared at him. "What do you mean 'right time'? He was planning on them for another time?" If that was the case, why change? "How do you know that?"

Lewa shrugged. "I don't know how," he said simply. "I just know."

Tahu nodded, understanding suddenly. The infected mask—the Krana—must have transferred some of the Bohrok's knowledge into Lewa's brain. But if such knowledge remained, what else might linger?

The others continued to discuss possible courses of action. Kopaka and Lewa kept mostly silent, but the other three traded possibility after possibility. As he listened, Tahu could feel impatience bubbling up within him. "Come on!" he cried, interrupting Pohatu's suggestion to gather the Turaga for council to seek any further knowledge that might exist in the ancient legends. "We can stand around here all day while the Bohrok continue to destroy our island and endanger our people. Or we can take action!"

"Tahu is right," Lewa spoke up at last. "We should hurry-go to the swarm-nest. It's the only way."

Though he was glad for the support, Tahu once again had to fight back a shudder of unease. Was this agreement really coming from Lewa, the impulsive one? Or was it coming from the mind of the swarm, luring them into a trap?

Onua glanced around the group. "Does anyone have any objection to Tahu's plan?" There was a moment of silence. Gali and Kopaka traded a look, but both kept quiet. "Then it's decided," Onua said. "We will challenge the Bohrok in their nest."

Tahu nodded. "The Bohrok cannot be allowed to endanger our people any longer."

"No," Lewa reminded them. "The Bohrok are not the real-true enemy. It is the Krana we must defeat. They have a purpose, a mission—it's why they exist!"

Pohatu shrugged, then clasped his fists together. "Then they can tell us all about it—on their way off the island."


	9. Chapter 9

The six Toa wasted no time in traveling to the mouth of the nest. They climbed down its steep, rocky walls, avoiding the emerging Bohrok whenever possible and fighting them when not. Their progress was agonizingly slow, but eventually they left the glow of daylight behind and found themselves in a large, smooth tunnel leading deep into the earth. The darkness swallowed them up. Occasionally, a group of Bohrok hurried past. By pressing against the walls, the Toa managed to avoid attracting their attention. Though they hated the thought of more swarms emerging onto Mata Nui, they knew their energy might be needed for whatever they found at the end of the tunnel.

Tahu found himself walking beside Onua. Lewa and Kopaka were walking close together at the front of the group, with Pohatu and Gali trailing just behind them. "Keep an eye on Lewa," Tahu murmured to his companion.

"Do you think he is still influenced by the swarm?" Onua asked, glancing forward past the Toa of Stone and Water at the Toa of Air.

"Onua, I don't know what to think," Tahu replied. "But nothing can be allowed to interfere with our mission."

Onua chuckled. "Lewa would say you sound like a Bohrok, my friend." Tahu didn't bother to respond. Instead, he hurried forward to warn Pohatu not to let his guard down around Lewa.

A few minutes later, there was a scraping sound as Pohatu ran his hand along the tunnel wall. "Have you noticed…?" he commented, loudly enough for all to hear. "This tunnel wall—it's smooth. No Matoran dug this…or any Bohrok, for that matter."

"Are you sure?" Gali asked, coming closer to look.

"Gali, if there's one thing I know about, it's stone," Pohatu reminded her. His voice held its usual light tone, but there was an undercurrent of worry. "I think something is very wrong here."

Gali didn't respond. _But whatever it is, we can handle it,_ she thought. _At least, I hope we can. _

A small ways from Gali and Pohatu, Lewa had concerns of his own. He turned to the Toa of Ice. "I'm dark-worried, Kopaka…what if the Krana still controls me somehow? What if…what if I try to harm-stop you?"

"Don't worry, Lewa," Kopaka replied comfortingly. "You may _try_." His telescope adjusted and fixated on the Toa of Air. "You would not succeed."

Ahead, Tahu and Onua had reached a circular opening. Tahu raised his sword, peering into the darkness below. "Tell the others to wait," he eventually said. "I will go down and investigate."

Onua nodded. "Be careful."

Gali had only heard Tahu say something from the front of the group. "What was that?" Gali asked Pohatu.

"An opening," the Toa of Stone replied. "Tahu is going down to investigate."

Gali nodded, watching as the Toa of Fire leaped off the edge of an opening in the floor. Moving forward with the others, she peered over the edge of the tunnel.

X X X

Tahu jumped down, triggering his levitation power as he did so. When Tahu floated down he found himself in a vast underground chamber, lined with combs and combs of unopened spawn. _A nest! _he realized. _The creatures still slumber, and if we are fortunate, they will never awaken. _He hovered over to one particular pod, looking into first the headplate and then the eyes of a dormant Tahnok.

Suddenly, the eyes blinked open.

_Wake one, you wake them all. _

The Tahnok flew out of its comb, almost hitting Tahu on the way. Along with it, others starting flying out too. "No!" Tahu cried, looking upward to see a wall of the things as far as the eye could see, ejecting more Bohrok. He turned to return to his fellow Toa when a slab of rock blocked that entrance, too.

X X X

While the Toa faced their challenges beneath the surface of Mata Nui, their brave Matoran still defended their homes in the Toa's absence.

"Are the traps prepared?" Jala asked his wingmen from his Boxor, overlooking a slope on the outskirts of Ta-Wahi. The Onu-Matoran and Ta-Matoran had recently been forced into a geographic alliance with the flooding of Onu-Koro.

"The pits have been dug," answered Zemya, on the left. "The rock falls await your signal."

Azibo, on the right, questioned, "But will it be enough to stop the Bohrok?"

Jala looked over the edge, seeing a squad of Lehvak climbing up the slope. "I don't know, but Tahu relies on us to defend the village, and we will _not _disappoint him!" He hit the controls to send his machine running to meet the troop of Lehvak head-on. "For Ta-Koro!" he led, his fellow soldiers behind. "For duty! For destiny!"

X X X

With a sudden explosion, a stone door slid over the opening and slammed shut, blocking Tahu from the view of the other Toa.

"Tahu!" Onua cried, from the other side, having witnessed the door seal. "He's trapped down there!"

Pohatu turned at another sound to see a slab fall to block the way they came, now kenneling the Toa between two panels of stone—one vertical behind them and the other one the floor. "And we may be trapped up here!" he called.

Lewa, off to the side, began to cradle his head in his hands, staggering. Gali approached, concerned. "Lewa, are you alright?"

The Toa of Air moaned. "We're near-close now…close to the strong-power…" he muttered. "Armor…but more than armor—strong-power greater than we have ever seen-known."

"If we can ever get to it, Lewa!" Onua called, punching the stone slab behind them once again. "With all our strength, we cannot produce even a crack in this wall!"

Pohatu kicked it twice more with no effect. "It's impossible!" he said, tiring. "No stone is this strong!"

The Toa spent the next moment or two trying to smash their way through the wall. But it refused to give, even after Onua's pounding and Pohatu's kicks.

Gali suddenly raised her hands as a call for attention. "Wait! The air has become so hot…so suddenly! What's causing it?"

Left behind without Tahu's sword, the rest of them should have been standing in darkness. Kopaka was the first to notice that there was a reddish glow still lighting the tunnel. He pointed. "A nightmare on top of our impossibility," he answered, facing the growing glow in their cave. "Molten lava!"

X X X

Deeper still, two creatures watched over the activities of both Toa and Bohrok alike.

Nightmares and impossibilities…words that meant nothing to the Bahrag—the rulers of the Bohrok swarms. For they did not dream…and their power could make all things possible. They dwelt only a short distance away from where the Toa were trapped…but the heroes of Mata Nui might never find them now.

_It is done, Gahdok, _thought the red titan, its eyes glowing as it communicated. _The mission can proceed. _

_Confirmed, Cahdok, _the blue one answered as it turned, its eyes similarly illuminating. _At last, all obstacles have been…removed. _

X X X

The waters of Naho Falls tumbled below into the bay of Ga-Wahi as a Pahrak Va appeared on the cliffside. Suddenly, it was joined by a swarm of stone Bohrok, the Pahrak. The Bohrok Va surveyed the village of Ga-Koro, encircled by sharpened poles, in the bay before it….

They had all the information they needed.

X X X

Outside Nokama's hut, Maku, Hahli, and Nuparu stood guard next to a couple of Boxors. Hahli looked from the Onu-Matoran to her Ga-Matoran neighbor. It felt a little strange to have outsiders in Ga-Koro, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She hadn't yet seen these 'Boxors' in action yet, but had heard from the Chronicler that they were successful in freeing the Le-Matoran. If that was the case, she was willing to start making some changes.

Inside Nokama's hut, other thoughts and changes were being made. Nokama could not remember the last time two Ta-Matoran entered her dwelling. Takua the Chronicler, and Jala, the Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard walked in, pausing by the front door. Takua took a quick second to admire things both familiar and unfamiliar to him, for he had been here before. The jelly-light, a glass that magnified a jellyfish's light as a decorative lamp, was a new and innovative addition.

The two Matoran nodded as one. "Turaga Vakama sends his regards," Jala said. "He has instructed my Guard and I to defend your village at all costs. We have just held off a Lehvak swarm back home, and come here swiftly to lend our aid before they strike at Ta-Koro again."

"It is an honor, Jala, and you have come none too soon," the water elder remarked. "As you have seen up on the Naho cliffs, the Pahrak are already at our gates." She turned to Takua. "And you, Chronicler—why have you come?"

"I have come with Nuparu, an engineer from Onu-Koro." Takua pointed outside the hut as he explained. "He has devised a machine called the Boxor that can stand up to the Bohrok."

Before Nokama could reply with positive or negative opinion, a Ga-Matoran burst into the hut, shoving past the two Ta-Matoran. "Turaga—"

Nokama gave the Ga-Matoran a stern look. "I am in conference with these good Matoran, Kotu. Why do you disturb us so rudely?"

"Come quickly!" Kotu implored. She pointed with a thumb over her shoulder. "I think you will want to see this!" Behind her, in the opening of the hut, Kai, Amaya, and Nireta could be seen running past the doorway in the same direction.

Nokama, Takua, and Jala left the hut and went out to the edge of the large lily pad, upon which the dwelling resided. Kotu and Maku approached Nokama, taking their positions as left-hand and right-hand aids. On the distant horizon, a fleet of boats appeared. Kotu looked up at the elder curiously, then back at the boats.

As the boats got closer, the audience could see Turaga Onewa at the leading boat's bow, surrounded by Hafu and Huki, along with other Po-Matoran behind them. When the other boats came into view, the watchers could see they carried the entire Po-Matoran population toward Ga-Koro.

They soon landed. Onewa disembarked and the two Turaga bowed to each other. "Turaga Onewa!" Nokama said, surprised.

"Forgive our uninvited arrival, Turaga Nokama," the Stone Turaga said. "I wish it was a happy visit, but we come here in desperation." Onewa swept his hand out, indicating the Po-Matoran behind him. "We have fled Po-Wahi, and hoped to find Sanctuary here." He looked at the cliffs, with Pahrak edging closer, then to Matoran defenses and Boxor vehicles. "It seems, however, that we have leaped from the puddle to the pond."

"Indeed, it is true," Nokama said, "the Pahrak are at our gates…"

As the Turaga continued to talk, Maku tilted her head to look around the elder. She waved timidly at Huki. Huki, who had been watching the conversation, noticed her wave. He glanced over, waving back at the Ga-Matoran. This cost him however, as Turaga Onewa casually _BONKED _him on the top of the mask—a parental way to say, 'pay attention.' Huki immediately stood back at attention, facing straight ahead at Nokama.

"My people are exhausted from their journey," Onewa said. "As you know, they are not overly fond of water." He rapped his staff on the lily pad. "But they can still fight."

At that moment, Hahli raced over to the discussion. "To arms!" she shouted to the assembly of stone and water Matoran. "The Pahrak are moving to the beach!"

"Turaga, we must destroy the causeway that leads to Ga-Koro from the beach," Maku suggested. "They will be unable to advance on the town."

Nokama nodded. "Kotu, Maku, and Hahli, take tools and as many Matoran as are willing. Dismantle the causeway."

The Ga-Matoran nodded and ran off, with Takua and Jala already following.

X X X

An ornately decorated stone monument stood strong as a Pahrak rammed into it. However, enough pummeling began to crack it. A few times more, it continued to back up and ram into the object, making its way closer to the water village.

Meanwhile, the three Ga-Matoran worked hard to deconstruct the causeway. Using Ga-Koro fishing tools, with a clawed net on one end and a hammer on the other, they dismantled the intricate connections of floating leaves. "Hurry! They're almost through!" Hahli said to Maku, in front of her.

"Almost got it…" Maku answered, prying at a difficult connection of leaves. She looked back up at the stone monument that was blocking the Bohrok from reaching the bridge of leaves, and jumped when she did. The Pahrak had given up on ramming the stone with their brute strength, instead deciding to allow themselves to use their powerful shields. One backed up and brought its shields together, charging elemental energy between them.

"RUN!" Maku yelled to her friends.

The Pahrak let the blast shoot forth, blasting apart the structure, exploding it wildly. The Ga-Matoran ran as fast as they could, Kotu and Hahli making it back to safety, though Maku didn't. She stumbled and fell on the remaining half of the causeway, while the other half was sunk under the stone shrapnel.

Hahli turned in shock. "Maku! Look out!" she cried, as a large chunk of stone flew toward the Matoran.

Maku closed her eyes at the projectile. Because of that, she only heard the _whunk_, didn't see it, when it happened. She opened one eye, seeing that the flying projectile had reversed directions. A Pahrak defiantly ran out onto the remaining part of the causeway, before the projectile splashed into the water. She looked over her shoulder to see Huki standing behind her, with a Ga-Matoran fishing staff still in his hands. He had used the hammer with his Po-Matoran strength to bat away the projectile.

The two Matoran looked at each other for a short second before looking back across the broken causeway at the frustrated Bohrok. The Pahrak stared back for a long while, before the machines turned and moved away into the far Ga-Wahi mist.

X X X

_Wall of History, Record 8—Last-Minute Save_

**GA-KORO MATORAN RESCUED BY KOLHII CHAMPION**

_With a swarm of Pahrak battering and pounding away at the stone gates of the causeway, Kotu, Maku, and Hahli ripped at the lily pad causeway with fishing nets today, attempting to dismantle the floating path that connected their village to the shore of Lake Naho. But before they could finish, the gate was shattered by the might of the Stone Shields of the Bohrok, sending stone fragments, rock and debris flying everywhere through the air. Just as a large boulder nearly struck Maku, it was deflected just in time by the last Matoran one would expect to see in watery Ga-Koro: Huki, Koli champion of the village of Stone. _

_"__Maku is a good friend," said Huki after the exciting rescue, "and I…enjoy her company greatly. When I saw that boulder come flying at her, I didn't have time to think. I just swung!"_

_And a lucky swing it was, too, for the stone not only missed Maku but also destroyed the path, preventing the Pahrak from reaching the village. The rock struck the causeway just as the Pahrak were advancing, destroying it and cutting the rest of the Bohrok off from the village. But why were the Matoran of Po-Koro there?_

_"__Our village was badly damaged in the Bohrok's last assault," explained Turaga Onewa sadly. "We came to Ga-Koro in desperate search of sanctuary until the threat of the swarms is past—but we did not expect to arrive in the middle of a Pahrak siege!" He went on to add that they had "leaped from the puddle to the pond," referring to the imminent Pahrak invasion of Ga-Koro. Onewa admitted that the Po-Matoran were exhausted from their journey and that they disliked water, but they could still contribute to defense._

_With the Bohrok in retreat, the Matoran of Ga-Koro have begun to relax. But how long will this safety last? Jala, Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard, urges caution. "The Pahrak are stubborn," he warned. "They do not give up easily. I fear that the danger is still very much present." _

_-Takua, The Chronicler-_

X X X

Spinning around, Gali saw that the Ice Toa was right, though his claim about lava seemed impossible. An enormous fireball was bearing down on them, filling the tunnel with its roaring, deadly energy. She desperately began pulling in water from the air around her, knowing that it was probably too late. The one who might be able to stop the lava now was—

"Stay back!" Kopaka yelled, flinging his arms wide in front of the others. "My ice can hold the lava at bay for a few moments." He aimed his sword of ice, freezing the lava solid. Gali breathed out a sigh of relief, though she knew Kopaka was right—his defense would hold only a few moments. Steam built up and the ice quickly melted, but the Toa's will to continuously pour out elemental energy bought some time.

Pohatu and Onua were still trying to break through the wall. They pounded against the wall with power that could level a mountain. Still the wall stood, not even a scratch marring its smooth surface. "What kind of stone is this!?" Pohatu asked aloud for the third time. He watched Onua's claws scrape against the hard stone, without so much as a mark. "It takes our strongest blows and does not shatter!"

"It doesn't shatter," Lewa shouted suddenly. "Doesn't shatter…because…it isn't there!"

"What?" Pohatu gasped breathlessly. He and Onua backed up while the Toa of Air approached the wall.

Lewa waved his arms, a hint of his old exuberance breaking through. "As the Toa-heroes of Stone and of Earth, there's nothing you and Onua can't bring-bang down," he exclaimed. "So if this wall is still strong-standing, it can't be real-true!" He unlimbered his air axe and pushed it toward the wall. "Stop believing in it…" his axe went straight through the stone wall, "…and it disappears!"

Pohatu blinked, hardly believing his eyes. Lewa stood there, with one arm through the solid wall. How could this be? He struck at the wall, feeling the impact shake his whole body as his fist bounced off the impenetrable surface. The he looked again at Lewa, who had disappeared halfway through the "wall" by this time. It couldn't be—and yet it was. The wall was nothing but an illusion. _What kind of creatures are we dealing with here, anyway? _Pohatu wondered, a shiver of dread coursing through him.

Gali, too, blinked a few times at the sight. "How is that possible…!?" she asked.

"Ask questions later," Kopaka advised. "The lava _is _real!"

Once the others saw, it was easy to believe—Onua was already going through the wall after Lewa. Pohatu turned back. "Come on, Gali!"

Gali and Kopaka similarly followed at the same time, the Toa of Water still unnerved about the unexpected. "Kopaka, if we can't trust our senses here—" she began to ask.

The Toa of Ice cut her off. "Then we trust only each other," he answered.

Seeing that the other four Toa had disappeared through the wall, Pohatu took a deep breath. If they could do it, he could do it, too. _Stand aside, wall, _he thought with a rueful smile. _If I can't get through you with my fists and feet, I suppose this way will do. _Trusting his comrades' wisdom, he flung himself at the wall. This time, instead of bouncing off, he stumbled right through. He found himself standing with the others in a small chamber lit by a strange greenish glow.

The five Toa found themselves on the same level of elevation as before, still above the nest. "What about Tahu?" Onua said. "We can't leave him back there."

"And we won't," Lewa assured him. "But we must act-move quickly!"

Onua looked around and then at the ground. "I think we are already too late. Can you feel it? The ground is getting hot!"

Gali turned around to the way they came. "Do you think the lava is—"

"Everyone down," Kopaka barked. "NOW!" Kopaka rarely gave an order, but there was no disregarding his urgent tone this time. They all flung themselves to the floor—just in time, as the cavern exploded around them. Elemental powers, nearby stones, or their golden Kanohi had kept them protected from the gigantic explosion that had demolished the room. Dirt, stone shrapnel, and fire flew in every direction. In the midst of it was a tall red figure shooting up from a hole in the floor.

"Tahu!" Lewa cried. "Are you alright?"

Tahu crouched and panted heavily, fairly breathless. He nodded. "I used my sword…to heat the air in the cavern…where I was trapped—-the heart of the Bohrok nest itself. The air pressure finally blew the nest apart." He got back to his feet. "I went one way…the remaining Bohrok went others, scattered to the far corners of the tunnels. But they will be back."

Before the others could figure out what that might mean, they felt the remaining ground giving way beneath them. The cavern floor groaned and split.

"Uh-oh. We may not be here to greet them," Pohatu commented. "Looks like things are going downhill again. The floor is giving way!" He tried to hold on to the walls, but the entire floor fell away beneath his feet, sending him falling deeper still. He skidded through the yawning opening. All around him, he could see the other Toa falling as well.

"Use your levitation powers!" Gali shouted.

"And be ready for anything when we hit the bottom," Tahu added grimly, speaking loudly to be heard over the falling stones.

"Do you ever get the feeling there's a lot more to this island than we know about?" Pohatu voiced, as the Toa floated down to the floor of the destroyed nest.

"Yes," Kopaka said shortly. "It is not a comforting thought."

Each Toa floated downward among the hail of falling stones and earth. The six of them finally landed in a massive, dimly lit, round chamber.

"Where are we?" asked Tahu.

Kopaka looked around, his telescope examining the floor and walls. "Still in the realm of the Bohrok," he answered. He walked over to divets in the ground, examining their artistic detail. The deep niches stood out in the otherwise smooth floor. "These carvings in the floor match the Krana we carry," he said, noting a portion of the floor with six such carvings. There were five other sets of eight indentations—one for each swarm, most likely. He exposed his collected Kohrok Krana, placing his Krana Ca into its proper slot. "I think this is where the Krana are meant to go."

"Place them in these niches," Tahu ordered, producing his collection of Tahnok Krana.

The others followed suit. As Gali fitted the last of the Gahlok Krana into place, there was a sudden jerk in the floor below her. "Whoa!" she cried, grabbing onto Kopaka's arm to keep from being thrown to the ground. "What was that?"

More violent tremors followed. The floor, walls, and ceiling of the cavern shuddered. "It's begun!" Lewa cried, barely keeping his feet as the earth shook and shuddered beneath him. "The end of the Bohrok!"

"What do you mean, brother?" Gali shouted.

"What do you know?" Tahu cried at the same time.

Onua came near and helped steady Lewa, who was keeling over from weakness as well as the tremors. "What are you talking about, Lewa?"

Before they could get any answers, the cavern walls groaned and fell away, revealing six enormous metal doors. The doors slid back with a clang. Behind them were six identical tunnels shrouded in smoke and darkness.

Onua stared into the nearest doorway. "It seems," he said slowly, "we've been invited in. But by whom?"

"Six doorways, six of us," Tahu said.

Kopaka looked at him. "A trap?"

Tahu thought before replying. "An opportunity. Everyone take a tunnel…and stay alert."


	10. Chapter 10

Each of the Toa stepped into the closest tunnel. Tahu's tunnel didn't lead very far before making his next discovery. He saw something ahead, finding it difficult to identify even with the light from his firesword. _More Bohrok? _he wondered. _No, something far mightier than any Bohrok could be. _He approached the motionless figure, staring upward at it.

"This island has suffered much at the hands of the Bohrok…its rivers frozen, its mountains crumbled, its jungles reduced to ruin…" Tahu said to himself. He went into the encroaching darkness with the figure, causing some hissing and mechanical whirring to follow. "But by all the power that is mine, I swear—Mata Nui shall be free!" he yelled from a suit of armor that made him twice as tall, and twice as formidable.

X X X

That night, Huki was sitting alone on the edge of one of Ga-Koro's lily pads. Maku came out to join him on the same pad. They exchanged smiles and she sat on the leaf's edge next to him. She kicked her feet playfully over the still surface of the water. She turned to Huki, who was admiring the calm mist in the distance and bright moon above. "That was a nice shot, Huki," she complimented. She gestured back up to the rocky peaks from whence the Bohrok had come earlier that day. "Now, the Pahrak have no way to reach us."

"Yes, we're safe," Huki answered, facing Maku. "But where have they gone?" He turned back to the rocks. "It seems too quiet, almost."

Maku reached over and held his hand, startling the Po-Matoran. He looked from their clasped hands back at Maku, then smiled. "Maybe they gave up and went home," Maku suggested.

"Not Pahrak," said Jala.

Maku jumped at the Ta-Matoran's voice. She looked behind her to see Takua and Hahli there too, her Ga-Matoran friend giving her questioning looks. She looked back at Huki, and then their clasped hands before backing well away from the Po-Matoran. She clumped into a tight ball of embarrassment even as Jala continued speaking.

"When they decide to solve a problem, they don't stop until they have found a solution," the Captain said, eyeing the faraway cliffs in the bright moonlight with suspicion. He firmly put his hands on his hips. "We will see them again, I wager."

"Wait…" Hahli suddenly said, catching Takua's attention. When the Matoran were all quiet, a second and louder crack could be heard coming from the cliffs. The Matoran fixed their gaze on the area. "What's that noise?"

At that moment, the carving of the Kanohi Kaukau of Naho Falls cracked and exploded, causing all the Matoran to cry out as more stones flew toward their lily pad.

"No!" Maku yelled in defeat. She pointed toward the wreckage, which had provided a new bridge to more lily pads surrounding the water village.

Out of the destroyed carving came more of the Pahrak. They crossed the bridge of rubble from the carving's destruction with a steely determination to destroy the village of Ga-Koro, along with anyone who got in the way.

X X X

Tahu was still admiring the protection and high-tech weaponry on the armor when there was an eerie visitor.

_Why do you trespass here? _

_That voice! _Tahu thought, startled. _I hear it in my mind… _"Who is there?" he asked boldly. "Show yourself!"

From the darkness, a large claw batted Tahu, making him grunt and stumble backward several steps. He turned to an illuminated corner to see a large blue creature, with short arms ending in sharp claws, two long whiskers running down the length of its head, a large mouth filled with teeth, glowing eyes, and a long neck to project the head forward. It looked like some strange mutation of an enormous Bohrok.

_You are an obstacle, _it thought in the Fire Toa's mind. _You do not belong. You will be removed. _

Tahu raised his left arm, making the armored structure move similarly, pointing a large rocket launcher at the hostile being. "Beware, monster…this 'obstacle' has a sting!" He fired the rocket, which flew straight, true, and fast.

X X X

Sunrise illuminated the waters of Naho Bay, along with the blasted ruins of Gali's testament, the Kaukau Falls. With it, the Pahrak continued to wreak havoc on the village of Ga-Koro. They charged through the streets, barreling through Matoran and buildings. Amaya and Kai jumped out of the way as another one destroyed a medical school. Kotu narrowly avoided being ripped in half along with a lily pad. Nireta and Shasa found their weapons useless when a Pahrak broke both with one swipe of an armored shield. Huki grabbed Maku's hand and pulled her out of the path of a flying boat as a Bohrok grabbed it and threw it out to sea.

The Boxor vehicles, piloted by Nuparu and Kaj, approached the Bohrok on a leafy bridge to challenge them and put a stop to their attack. The Pahrak wobbled its head back and forth, as if preparing itself. Then it flipped the seaweed causeway on which the Boxors stood. They toppled into the water, where they sank into Lake Naho.

Nuparu instinctively slammed the ejection switch, but the water had effectively shut down the system—he and Kaj were both trapped in the Boxor suits as they sank. He looked over, seeing Kaj's eyes and heartlight illuminate and identify where he had landed. He, too, struggled violently to free himself from the cockpit. A sound made Nuparu look up toward the surface. Maku and Kotu had dived into the water! The two Ga-Matoran cut the restraints using Ga-Koro harvesting sickles and carried Kaj and Nuparu back to the surface.

On the lily pad, Huki ran to the edge after seeing the Ga-Matoran jump in. He looked side to side, scanning the waters, but the sunlight made it hard to see anything more than a couple feet deep. The Pahrak, too, now separated once again on another lily pad, watched to see whether they had defeated some of the defenders.

Then, all four Matoran surfaced. Nuparu and Kaj gasped desperately for air, and didn't even have the energy to tread water. Maku and Kotu struggled to bring them close, but when they did, Huki helped haul them onto the safety of the plant. "We're trapped again, but safe," he said.

"Unless you'd like to swim for it, Huki?" Maku suggested.

Huki frowned, scratching his head whilst trying to come up with an answer. Swimming was not his strongest skill. To put it mildly, he was as bad at swimming as much as Le-Matoran hated water; he was as good at Koli as he was bad at moving through water. He wasn't quite sure how to tell Maku that, though.

Nokama broke the awkward silence, pointing to the stranded Pahrak. "Look! A goatdog!" she said, referring to the common nickname for the Pahrak Va. It came into view and stopped in front of the squad of Bohrok before turning around; on its back was a visible mask.

"Is that—Krana?" Onewa asked aloud, squinting hard to see across the distance and through the sun. The Pahrak Va lifted its arms as the Pahrak around it opened their headplates. The Pahrak Va exchanged Krana with all the Bohrok present.

"Not just Krana…" Nokama said, her keen eyes seeing distinguishing features of a specific shape as the headplates closed. "Krana Vu!"

Before any Matoran present could request a refresher on what powers a Krana Vu brought, or what kind of classification of Bohrok used it, all four Bohrok rolled from their stout and curved-appendage appearance into compact balls. The Bohrok then floated into the air over their pad before violently rushing toward the Matoran and Turaga.

Huki roughly shoved Maku out of the way while he himself jumped back, too. Behind them, Nokama and Onewa, along with the rest of the gathered Matoran threw themselves to the floor just as two Pahrak came careening toward them, smashing yet another erection behind the group. The Bohrok circled back and made a second pass before coming to an imposing landing in front of the assembly.

X X X

_Wall of History, Record 9—Disaster in Ga-Koro_

**BOHROK RAID FLOATING VILLAGE**

_Disaster struck late last night as a force of Pahrak destroyed Ga-Wahi's great monument to Toa Gali, smashing the famous cliffside Kanohi to create a bridge of rubble from the beach to the floating village of Ga-Koro._

_"__It was terrible," Turaga Nokama said. "Our most skilled artisans labored to create that carving, and it was gone in an instant. All of that beauty and craftsmanship was just another obstacle for the Bohrok to destroy." _

_But Ga-Koro's troubles were about to become much worse. As dawn broke, the Pahrak swept across the bridge, shattering everything in their path. Nuparu's Boxors rose to challenge them, but found themselves plunged into the waters of Lake Naho. _

_"__My poor Boxors are designed for land, not lily pads," mourned Nuparu. "They did their best, but they just don't float. We're lucky that Maku and Kotu were there to pull us out in time." The engineer paused for a moment. "You know, perhaps if we were to attach hollow shell-seeds to the sides, and maybe add a gear-driven propeller system…"_

_With the Pahrak stranded on another pad, the villagers of Ga-Koro thought that they were safe…until Turaga Nokama noticed a Pahrak Va suddenly appear on the scene, approaching the swarm on the opposite lilypad. The Bohrok Va signaled for the Bohrok to open its Krana hatch, and Nokama exclaimed that the Pahrak were being fitted with Krana Vu._

_Turaga Onewa explained, "Those Pahrak Va—goatdogs, we call them in Po-Wahi—they carry extra Krana for the swarm. This one replaced the Bohrok's Krana with Krana Vu, granting it the power of flight."_

_The Bohrok folded into balls and flew toward the hut on the Matoran's lilypad, punching holes in the roof and forcing the Matoran to dive out of harm's way. The Bohrok landed on the lilypad and continued to menace the Matoran. The battle has allowed me time to scribe this Chronicle, though it may be my last. As the Pahrak hurtled toward the huddled villagers and refugees of Ga-Koro, one question was on every Matoran's mind: who could possibly stand up to the Bohrok?_

_-Takua, The Chronicler-_

X X X

Ahead, Lewa saw a dark glow. It held a strange shape—some kind of armor. He hurried forward and saw that he'd been right—it was a suit of armor! Exo-Toa armor. He didn't know how he knew it was called that, he just knew. More knowledge left over from the Krana that had infected him? Shrugging off the disturbing thought, he took a step closer to the armor. _I suppose I'd better put it on,_ he thought, touching the smooth surface of the armor. _I may need it. _Soon he was outfitted in the armor. He felt new power seeping into his limbs and smiled. Then his smile faded as he felt a tug on the edges of his mind.

_Clean it all. It must be cleaned. _

"No!" he muttered aloud, shaking off the shadowy thoughts. Hurrying forward, Lewa wondered what he would find at the end of the tunnel.

_All obstacles must be removed. _

Lewa hesitated. Had that thought come from his mind? Was it the remains of the Bohrok's infection? "No," he muttered with uncertainty. "It wasn't—I didn't…"

_You are an obstacle, _the mind-voice came again. _You must be removed. _

Lewa gasped as an enormous creature burst into view, the massive bulk of its gleaming red limbs and pearly fangs filling the tunnel. "What—what are you?" the Toa cried in surprise.

This time knowing laughter filled his mind. _You know who I am, Toa of the Bohrok, _the voice taunted. _You know me_—_I am your queen. My sister, Cahdok, and I rule your thoughts, your actions. _

"No!" Lewa shouted furiously. "I _do_ know who you are, Gahdok." The name had popped into his mind as if planted there. "But you are sorry-wrong about me. You don't rule me, and you never will!" With that, he lashed out furiously. But the creature before him knocked him aside easily, sending him spinning into the hard tunnel wall.

_You are wrong about that, Toa of Nothing, _the mind-voice hissed. _Dead wrong. _

More voices started to whisper within Lewa's head—the voices of the swarm, calling him to fulfill their destiny. Gritting his teeth, Lewa did his best to ignore them. _I have to fight back_, he told himself. _I am a Toa. _He raised both arms, focusing his powers on the air around him, but all that came to him was a whisper of a breeze. _What's happening? _Lewa wondered desperately as the voices gained in volume. _What's bad-wrong with me? _He fell to his knees, pressing his hands against his ears. Still the voices filled his mind.

_Clean it all it must be cleaned_—_all obstacles will be removed_—_you are an obstacle_—_remove yourself_—_clean it all it must be cleaned…_

"Help!" Lewa cried. "Someone, over here! Quickly—please!"

Kopaka rushed to his side. Lewa was dimly aware that the Ice Toa was dressed in Exo-Toa armor of his own. "Drive it back to the cavern," Kopaka said tersely. "We can't fight it here." Lewa breathed out in relief. Miraculously, Kopaka's cool, no-nonsense voice had sent the voices away. Nearby, Gahdok roared in fury. "Use your armor," Kopaka told Lewa. "Let its power work for you."

Lewa glanced down at himself, realizing he hadn't even bothered to examine his new powers…but he would make up for that now. Noting the electro-rocket launcher on one arm, he raised it and pointed it toward Gahdok. Beside him, Kopaka did the same. The creature gnashed her teeth and roared again, but she backed off a few steps, moving down the corridor in the direction of the cavern.

"She's away-moving!" Lewa cried.

Kopaka nodded. "Go find the others," he said. "They should be ready."

Lewa didn't hesitate. He ducked past the creature. Careening down the passageway, he burst out into the cavern. "It's coming!" he shouted. "Kopaka is driving the creature-queen this way."

Gali, Pohatu, and Onua were in the cavern. All of them wore Exo-Toa armor. Pohatu glanced at Lewa. "Tahu has the other creature on the move, too," he reported. "When they're both in here, we can surround them and take them down."

"Good," Lewa murmured. "That will be the end of the Bohrok threat." He wasn't sure how he knew that, but he knew it for sure. If they could only defeat the Bahrag, the Bohrok would be finished. Before he could tell the others, there was a shout. Tahu had just driven a large, silvery-blue version of Gahdok into the chamber—her sister, Cahdok. A second later, Gahdok herself backed in from a tunnel, goaded by Kopaka.

The blue titan screeched as Tahu's projectile hit it, driving it backward by both the impact and the light of the explosion. Similarly, Tahu saw another beast, this one in red and with shorter spikes on its head, being attacked by Kopaka, in his Exo-Toa armor. It felt good to see his team members again in this dangerous place.

"Drive them to the center of the chamber!" Onua called. "Surround them!"

But the Bohrok Queens were already backing toward each other. Soon they were side by side in the center of the cavern. "Strike now, Toa," Tahu roared. "For your villages…and for your people!"

Lewa leaped forward with the others, raising his rocket arm. He aimed and let it blast right at Cahdok and Gahdok. He hurled the claws on the other arms, sending an electronic pulse toward his enemies. The other Toa did the same, but the rocket blasts exploded and pulses dissipated helplessly in front of the sisters. Cahdok and Gahdok screeched with triumph.

"What's wrong?" Onua asked, his voice filled with awe. "It's as if they're surrounded by some kind of force field!"

"The blasts—they have no effect!" Pohatu yelled.

Suddenly, Lewa knew the answer. It filled his mind, even as the queens of the swarms taunted the other Toa in their thought-speak. _Fools! _Gahdok hissed in the Toa's minds. _By bringing us together, you increase our power! _

Cahdok nodded and looked from one Toa to another. _Now Mata Nui will be as it was in the Before-Time. All that does not belong will be removed_—_beginning with you! _

Lewa gasped in horror. "But if we should fall," he wondered, watching the two roar again, "who will save Mata Nui?"

X X X

Jala sighed in frustration, dropping the broken pieces of his bamboo disk in defeat. Next to him, Takua sat up. The two had only recently regained full consciousness on a distant pad from an earlier Bohrok battering when the Chronicler saw what was happening. He groaned in pain again as he stood up and readjusted his mask. "We can't let these monsters win, Jala! We just can't!" he said with determination.

Jala rubbed his head as he walked over. He was at least grateful that the building that had been dropped on it was made of leaves here in Ga-Koro; a building in Po-Wahi, on the other hand, might not have left him alive. "But we're cut off from the others…" he pointed out.

"Agh!" Takua grunted, frustrated. He looked around—there wasn't much to see. He looked at the bamboo stick rising out of the water nearest to him. Grabbing it, he pulled on it, testing its bendable flexibility. He pulled back again, releasing it, watching as it sprung back to its position. "Come on!" he shouted to Jala.

X X X

Huki, Maku, Kotu, and Hahli lined up in front of Nokama and Onewa, ready to defend their elders. Huki prepared his Guard disk, Hahli used a Ga-Matoran fishing staff, and the other two simply assumed fighting stances, ready to do whatever they could to protect their elders.

Onewa and Nokama readied their staffs, too. Behind them, a large conglomeration of the populations of Ga-Matoran and Po-Matoran stood, wondering if this would be their last day. The elders had not seen personal combat for some time, especially with the Toa here, now. But this day, they each vowed that they would do whatever they could to protect their people.

The lead Pahrak's eyes flashed as it began forward, more than ready to remove these obstacles.

X X X

Jala pulled harder and harder on the bamboo pole's tip, priming the duo's crude catapult. In front of him, Takua carefully straddled the bent piece of bamboo, finding its wet and narrow surface hard to balance on. When he reached his limit, he asked in a strained voice, "Ready?"

There was no time to wait. Takua looked back at him and yelled, "NOW!"

Jala nodded quickly and released, tumbling backward as he did. The result of the springing bamboo was to fling forward, sending Takua rocketing and tumbling through the air. The distance, aim, and arc were perfect. Takua stuck the landing right in between the assembled four Matoran and team of Bohrok. The Pahrak stopped short for a moment, their mechanical minds assessing the new and sudden appearance in front of them.

Takua, still crouched, shook his head. "Touch one mask on their heads, beasts…" He rose to confront the embodiment of certain destruction with his friends. He finished defiantly, "…and you'll have to go through me!"


	11. Chapter 11

The Toa of Air felt destroyed. Now that the sisters were together, their powers knew few limits. _Why didn't I know this would happen? _Lewa thought in frustration. _I should have remembered_—_from before. I should have been able to warn the others. _But it was too late for that now. The queens had suddenly gone on the offensive—Cahdok showered Kopaka with a hailstorm of stones, while Gahdok blasted Gali with smothering heat. _Did I betray the other Toa? _Lewa wondered uneasily. _Did I lead them into this trap_—_could the Bohrok still be controlling me, even if I don't realize it? _

No. It hadn't been his idea to bring Gahdok to the cavern—Kopaka had been the one to suggest that. The thought filled Lewa with relief. _Don't feel too glad, Toa of Weakness,_ the sisters taunted Lewa in his mind. _For we have powers that will make your blood run cold…. _

"Nooo!" Lewa cried, but the words froze in his throat as Gahdok turned her icy gaze on him, freezing him in place. Meanwhile, the others were calling upon all of their powers to battle the sisters.

Tahu looked from Lewa, seeing him frozen by a blast from Cahdok, to Gali, being constantly flamed by Gahdok. _This is a disaster! We thought the armor would give us the power we needed…but we never expected to face anything like this. They have the power of all the Bohrok…and more. Lewa half-frozen, Kopaka buried…waves of heat smothering Gali… _He looked over to the remaining two Toa. _And our two strongest members—Pohatu and Onua—fighting empty air…the victims of Cahdok's illusions. _

Tahu's anger reached a peak. "This stops now!" he shouted, releasing a blast of fire from his chest. "Your fires are nothing compared to mine, monster!" Even as he said it, the blast was much smaller than he expected for the amount of concentration he had used. Still, the elemental attack reached its target.

_All the powers of the Bohrok belong to us—both elemental and Krana! _Gahdok said in Tahu's mind. _If fire will not defeat you, then taste the power of stone! _The red creature roared on its stout legs, generating and then hurling a stream of rocks at the Toa of Fire.

Instinctively, Tahu activated his shielding ability, but still found himself pushed back by the frontal assault. _The Mask of Shielding can protect me from this barrage…but the strain! _he thought, trying hard to stand against the shower. _I…I—!_

"Tahu!" Lewa cried in horror, his half-frozen mouth barely forming the name. With an effort, Lewa turned his ice-encrusted eyes toward Onua and Pohatu, hoping they would come to Tahu's rescue. To his surprise he saw that both were busy fighting…but neither appeared to have an opponent! _More of the sisters' illusions, _Lewa thought desperately, as Tahu struggled to maintain the protective shield.

Nearby, Gali was fighting to stay upright as wave after wave of nauseating heat rolled over her. _Tahu's in trouble…but my water powers have failed me. I can't help him! _She didn't understand what was happening. Somehow, her elemental power had deserted her—she couldn't even manage to call forth a trickle, let alone a flood, to fight the two queens. She could see that Tahu was having similar troubles—and the sisters were closing in on him. She turned to Pohatu and Onua, still taking and delivering blows to the air. "Onua! Pohatu!" she shouted. "You are fighting shadows—Tahu needs you!"

Luckily her words got through to Pohatu. _Shadows? _he thought, confused. Didn't Gali see the same odd attacker that he did? But her words made sense…. _Tahu? _He turned to see the Toa of Fire on one knee, barely protected by a shield. He stared back at the hulking metallic monster before him. It reared up, preparing a devastating strike with its hooked claw. "Forget it, brother shadow," Pohatu spat out, disgusted with himself for falling for the sisters' tricks. He stood firm as the shadow creature struck. The claw passed right through him and disappeared in a whiff of smoke.

Pohatu whirled around, knocking Onua on the shoulder. "Brother!" he cried. "Leave that shadow alone—we have to help Tahu!" Without waiting for an answer, he rushed forward to battle. _That thing's trying to down him with the power of the Pahrak! But those aren't rocks… _He tore a massive boulder three times his size out of the wall and flung it toward the queens. "_This _is a rock!" He shouted. He threw a perfect throw and slammed Gahdok's center, but the Bahrag deflected it easily, tossing it aside. Pohatu growled in frustration, looking for another boulder.

Pohatu's aid allowed Tahu just enough time to move his position. Standing back up and leaping away, he looked at his hands in the armored suit, confused. Before Pohatu could ask what was wrong, Tahu yelled, "All of you—shed your armor! It hinders our elemental powers—and they are our only hope!"

_Of course! _Pohatu ripped off the Exo-Toa armor. Though he immediately felt power seeping away, he also felt his own natural strength swell to replace it. The team followed orders, too, ejecting themselves out of the protective and enlarging suits.

Tahu was still struggling against the queens. _It's no use,_ the Fire Toa thought desperately. _They're too strong! How can we hope to fight them? _

Gahdok and Cahdok thought in unison, _You dared challenge the swarms? You have NO hope—the mission will proceed! _Their claws lighted as they combined their powers. Gahdok readied fire, stone, and seismic waves, and Cahdok prepared water, ice, and acid. _You dared oppose your brothers! _they shouted angrily. _Therefore you must fall! Mata Nui will be cleansed! _

_The knowing will come. _The words filled Tahu's mind as his eyes narrowed—suddenly he knew what to do. If the Bahrag were going to combine powers, then the Toa would do the same. "Toa!" he shouted. "Surround them! We must combine our powers!"

Lewa leaped forward with the others, but he couldn't help worrying—what if this was another trap? He thought back to when they cornered the Bohrok Queens the last time. What if the queens had tricked them into attacking without the protection of their powerful armor? If the Toa perished, who would be left to protect their people? "But—the danger," he cried as the others moved toward the hissing, screeching queens.

Gali glanced at him in surprise. "The safety of our people is worth any risk," she said. "If power is all these creatures understand, then we will show them power!"

Tahu nodded tersely. "Let's go," he said. "Lewa, either join us, or get out of the way."

Lewa stared at the Fire Toa, seeing a question in his eyes. Could Lewa give the right answer to that question? Did he know the right answer? Suddenly he was certain that he did. "Yes," Lewa said at last. "You are true-right. It's worth the risk."

Tahu smiled at him for a second, looking relieved. For the first time since Lewa had been overtaken by the Krana, there was no suspicion or doubt in the Fire Toa's eyes. Then Lewa joined the others in forming a ring around Cahdok and Gahdok. He closed his eyes, summoning all the air power he could find within himself. As his power mixed with the others', a new wave of power swept through him.

A howling gale swept through the cavern, sweeping the sisters into a maelstrom.

Soon a driving torrent of rain hammered down on the queens.

Seconds later the rain froze to deadly hail.

A shower of stones pounded the enemy from every direction.

Waves of earth rose up around them.

Blasts of fire heated the stone and earth into steaming lava.

"Keep it up, brothers!" Gali shouted. "We're winning!"

_Fools! _Gahdok's words seared through the Toa's minds like poison. The queens were writhing in agony as the Toa's attack continued. _You think you have won…_

_But you cannot imagine what you have unleashed!_ Cahdok finished.

Then suddenly, the elemental energies sizzling and swirling around the queens mixed and condensed into a gel-like substance—one cohesive summation of the six. _Protodermis…?_ thought Gali in confusion. The mysterious substance had been mined on Mata Nui for years, its origins unknown. And now it had formed a barrier around the queens, imprisoning them within!

Before she could understand the significance of this protodermis cage, Gali heard a deafening rumble of earth and stone. The power of the combined cage shook the entire cavern…and it continued shaking. The cavern shuddered as stones rained down from above and the earth erupted below.

X X X

Takua stood before the Pahrak, refusing to let up his taunts. "If you mean to destroy us, beasts, get on with it!" He shouted at the mechanical Bohrok in front of him. "Otherwise…" He took a step forward and thrust his masked face forward emphatically. "SHOO!" It didn't seem to deter the creature very much, though it did rear back in confusion.

Takua waited for a sudden and painful response, but something else came instead. Behind him, a hum began to sound, accompanied by a bright blue light. He turned around to see it was the Ga-Suva, glowing brighter and brighter. The other Matoran and Turaga also turned to see the glowing source of power in the water shrine. Takua cocked his head in wonder, repeating, "Sh—shoo?"

Above the Suva, a ball of energy came together, still absorbing more, seemingly from the surrounding area. Then, in the middle, an image appeared. It spun and spiralled into view as it coalesced from the energy. At first it was a holographic image, then the decorative water around the Suva reached up and filled in the light, comprising the image as it came to a slower, constant spin.

Maku turned to Turaga Nokama in the brightness. "Turaga Nokama! What's happening?"

The elder gasped as she said, "The Toa—they have captured the Bahrag."

The surrounding ornate stones on the Suva also lit up. Then they shot rays of light, the shafts shooting out in six directions. Takua dove to the ground as one of the beams hit the lead Pahrak's headplate, electrifying it. The two Bohrok next to it stopped for a moment, unsure of what to do. But the constant ray of light then spread from the first Bohrok into the other two, stopping them in their tracks as well. The light continued to spread all throughout the Bohrok in Ga-Koro, regardless of distance, each time crippling and disabling the Bohrok shells and the Krana inside. On the distant horizon, the Matoran and Turaga could see five other beams shooting into the sky, one from each Suva; they knew for certain that this had happened to the Bohrok all across the island.

When it was over, every single Bohrok that was still standing toppled over. The headplate of the one closest to Takua and the others fell open as it did. The Krana was still wriggling inside the machine, but no matter what it would do, it would not move. Next to it, the other two Bohrok sparked one more time before they, too, toppled and fell. One's headplate also fell open to reveal the Krana bed sparking uselessly.

Huki and Maku ran to help Takua up, who blinked at the sight.

"It is over," Nokama declared.

Onewa nodded.

Around them and the Matoran, the armies of their greatest attackers now laid as still and motionless as the destruction they had caused.

X X X

"Looks like Cahdok and Gahdok had one more surprise for us!" Onua shouted as he tried to stay upright.

Lewa shook his head, despite the fact that his entire body was already shaking. "This is not their doing," he called back, the knowledge strong in his mind. "This comes from the very heart of Mata Nui!"

"The floor!" Gali cried. "We're sinking!"

Before anyone could respond, the ground fell away beneath them. Tahu found himself sliding down a long, narrow tube. Its walls were clear, allowing him to see the other Toa trapped within similar tubes. _What now? _the Fire Toa thought rather desperately. _Just when we think we've finally won_— Just then the tube ended abruptly. Tahu found himself flying through the air for a split second, and then—

With a large splash, he was enveloped in a gel-like substance halfway between liquid and solid. The gel cushioned him, seeping into every joint, making him warm and cold by turns. _Protodermis, _Tahu thought fuzzily. The substance seemed to be seeping into his mind as well as his body, making it difficult to think or move. _We're swimming in protodermis. _

The elusive substance had been mined on the island for years, with one of its main uses as a source of power. What kind of effect would it have on the Toa? The Toa of Fire closed his eyes, feeling the protodermis surround him. He wanted to struggle, to fight his way to the surface…but he couldn't move.

An immense heat swept through his body, his muscles boiling and white-hot flames flickering behind his eyelids. It burned, seeping into his eyes, mouth, and muscles. As soon as the heat had come it disappeared, replaced by an icy cold so deep that Tahu couldn't even shiver. Within a fraction of a second, he felt himself sinking into warm, welcoming water, deep and pure. Then the water evaporated away into a howling wind that swept him around and around—until he landed on the hard earth and felt himself sinking down, down, down into the stifling depths. Finally he hit the hard surface of a stone cliff, and behind his still-closed eyes it was as if he could see right through it until it held no mysteries.

Then the stone, too, fell away. For a long moment, there was nothingness.

With a gasp, Tahu broke through the surface of the protodermis. Coughing and choking for breath, he looked and saw the other Toa surfacing nearby. They levitated up in a group, landing on a rocky ledge above the bubbling pit of protodermis.

"It is…over," Tahu said, fatigued.

The Toa were shocked by the changes they saw in one another. Each of them was still recognizable—but they had all changed. Instead of his Golden Kanohi Mask, Tahu's face was now covered in a larger mask of gleaming red, while his body shimmered in metallic tones of silver and bronze. The others had undergone similar transformations.

Gali looked at her new weapons. In place of her old hooks, she now carried dual-headed aqua axes. "Kopaka…what has happened?" Gali voiced the question at last. "What have we become?"

"More than we were," Kopaka answered, his cool voice tinged with the warmth of amazement. He put away his double-ended ice blade and shield. "More than anyone has ever been."

Onua's large hands were no longer just empty claws, but now held twin earth quake-breakers—two sword-shaped chainsaw like devices. "Those chambers were filled with protodermis!" he informed the others. He was familiar with Onu-Koro's mining of the substance. "It changed us—increased our power…"

Sure enough, Tahu could feel power surging through him. But he glanced upward with concern. Amidst the conversation, the collapse of the Bohrok nest had not ceased. "Let's worry about why it happened later," he said. "There are more important questions to answer now. Questions like these: what happened to Cahdok and Gahdok? What happened to the Bohrok swarms? And how are we going to get out of here!?"

Pohatu looked up, trying to think of an exit. "Look out! That stone is falling right for us!"

"It's no use!" Lewa said, worried. "It's too big, and there's nowhere to flee-run to!"

Tahu triggered his mask, expecting the others to do the same. But this time, the forcefield that emanated outward from him covered all six Toa. "The Mask of Shielding protected us all!" the Fire Toa marveled. "It could never do that before…!"

"And it never will again, if we do not escape!" shouted Kopaka. "Lewa, Pohatu—combine the powers of _your _masks!"

The two Toa of Air and Stone did that, sharing powers of speed and levitation with the entire team. "Sure, I see!" Pohatu said, excited. "The Mask of Speed gets us off the ground—"

"And the Mask of Levitation keeps us in the high-air!" Lewa finished, equally awed. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Kopaka hovered by the Toa of Air. "You would have, Lewa…eventually—if we had had the time to wait. But patience is no virtue when the ground begins to shake."

"It feels like the whole island is collapsing into the sea!" Gali yelled as the group continued upward.

"Through the tunnels! Everyone, go!" Tahu ordered. The Toa had made it back to the last stretch of the nest's tunnel, which they completed on foot. "That way! I see light up ahead!"

The six Toa jumped out of the chasm mouth just as it exploded and finished crumbling on itself. Then they flew high up into the air again, with help from Lewa, until they could see an expansive view of the island of Mata Nui. While there were enormous areas of bare earth, charred rock, and other damage, the Bohrok swarms were nowhere to be seen.

"We did it!" Gali cried as the Toa settled back toward the ground. "The threat of the Bahrag and the swarms is ended! But at what price?"

Tahu couldn't help wondering the same thing as he glanced at Lewa…but he shook off the nagging distrust of the Air Toa's mind. "Nothing has been lost," the Fire Toa said firmly. "The protodermis has given us the power to protect our people from any danger…and to heal this shattered land. Once we were Toa—but now we are far, far more." He raised one of his new dual magma swords, much broader and stronger than his single firesword had been, reveling in the power surging through him. "Now and forevermore, we are the Toa Nuva!"

The cheers of the other Toa Nuva rose into the air. Mata Nui had been injured—but soon it would heal. The Toa Nuva would see to that. And they would see to it that Makuta never again troubled this beautiful island—if he even bothered to try. _Is this the end of our battles against the darkness? _Tahu wondered.

_Not the end, Toa. _The words hung in the air—not as if they'd been spoken, but as if they'd always existed, independent and alone. _This is only the beginning. _

X X X

In a dark, sealed pit on the Ga-Wahi beach, the five-bio high opening was opened once again, allowing the warm sunlight to enter the estranged location. Above, Takua and Jala peeked in with apprehension. Then Jala brought a Ga-Matoran fishing staff over the opening. In its netted side, he held a Krana Xa—the last that belonged to the Pahrak swarm in Ga-Koro. He threw it down into the deep pit, where it landed on the amassed pile of already-stored Krana. Shortly after, it scuttled out of the light and into the shadows.

Takua turned away and twitched in disgust. "Ugh…" he moaned, sticking his tongue out. Seeing and even smelling those things made his muscles crawl.

Beside him, Nuparu and Jala nodded toward each other, signaling the job was done. Jala jabbed the fishing net into the sand and walked away, with Takua following after him. Nuparu turned and waved to a Bohrok Pahrak. Being purely machine, once they didn't have another entity like the Krana in them to guide their actions, they were really quite easy to reprogram to serve the Matoran as helper bots. Now, he motioned for one to come closer, and it did. He waved his arms toward himself, flagging the Bohrok to come over to where the Krana Pit was. When it approached carrying a massive boulder, Nuparu guided it to the right spot.

The other two continued to walk down the bright, sunny beach. "May those filthy things never see the light of day again," Jala said to Takua, as the Pahrak slammed the boulder over the opening with a _smash_. Nuparu nodded gratefully to the Bohrok.

The two came over to where Huki was watching Allye, Piatra, and the Ga-Matoran named Kotu chase back and forth on the beach. They were using the Ga-Matoran fishing staffs to chase around a ball of stone. Jala watched for a second, too. "That shot you made left a big impression, Huki," he said, as Allye hurled the ball with the net side of the staff.

"Yes, they've come up with a new kind of Koli…" Huki replied as Kotu moved the ball back across the court only to have Allye fling it back again. "…using those old fishing nets." He turned to Jala. "It's quite different from using our hands and feet like we're used to, but so far, it's a hit. We're taking some back with us."

"I guess that's it, then," Jala said, earning a look from Takua. "There is peace again, at last." Takua smiled and nodded his agreement.

"And a lot of rebuilding to do," Huki noted. He gestured toward the cliffs where the ruined Kaukau monument of the Naho Falls used to be, just a day before. Already it had scaffolding up and Matoran carvers on it.

"And what about you?" Takua asked the Po-Matoran.

Huki rubbed the back of his head casually as Maku rushed up from behind him. "I'm going back to Po-Koro with Onewa—by land this time, to be sure!" he chuckled.

Maku came over to him wearing a bright orange flower necklace with a yellow flower attached to the corner of her mask. "Come on, Huki—time for your swimming lesson!" With that, she pulled a playfully resisting Po-Matoran away from the two Ta-Matoran.

Takua grinned at the sight. _Po-Matoran being forced to swim…almost as funny as a Le-Matoran, _he thought with a chuckle.

Jala turned to him, also amused by Maku and Huki. "You know, in the Guard, we have a saying: 'danger is the anvil upon which trust is forged'." He put his hand on the Chronicler's shoulder. "I'm glad to call you friend, Takua."

Takua smiled as he nodded his thanks and mutual feelings of camaraderie. Then the smile became one of business again. "I suppose you will be going soon."

"Yes. Vakama is waiting for word of Ga-Koro," Jala said. "I should—"

Just then, Hahli ran up to him from further along the beach. She, too, was wearing a festive orange flower necklace and a yellow flower at the top of her mask. Without a word, she simply took her mask's flower and pinned it to Jala's. Then she jogged down the beach toward the water and village site, pausing only to look back for a second.

Takua and Jala stared after her, both tilting their heads. "Then again," Jala muttered, "maybe I can stay, a bit…." He looked back to Takua, who just raised an eyebrow and smiled again. Jala suddenly turned his attention back to where the Ga-Matoran had gone. "Hahli! Hi!" he called, waving his arm high. Then he, too, ran after her. He joined her where she was waiting before the two took off along the sand, once more.

Takua, still smiling, put his hands on his hips matter-of-factly. "Well, what do you know?" he thought aloud. "I guess he _can _have fun." He looked to the sun, shining brightly over Ga-Wahi, bathing Mata Nui in a new light. He thought about his adventures, his new friends, even the things he didn't remember from before his accident—all of it had played a part. All of it made a wonderful story.

And no matter how he saw it, he couldn't stop smiling.

X X X

Deep beneath the island of Mata Nui, in a cavern so far below the surface that no ray of light had ever pierced its darkness, a pair of glowing red eyes stared out of a huge, shadowy face. Unblinking, the eyes turned upward, seeing far beyond what lay before them, through rock and earth and sand, all the way to the distant sunlit surface.

"So…" a deep, ominous voice breathed in the empty cave. "Toa. You have defeated the Bohrok swarms…as it was foreseen. And in doing so, you have called forth the instrument of your own doom."

The red eyes blinked and narrowed.

"And though the prophecies of the Matoran may sing of the Toa's might, we shall soon see that even the spirit of a hero can be broken." The dark voice sounded pleased. "The time has come to awaken the next protectors of Mata Nui's slumber. It is left to them to avenge the defeat of their Bohrok brothers. And to preserve things as they should be…as they _must_ be…forever."

_To be continued in "Bionicle - Phase 02: Illumination - Part I: The Bohrok-Kal Strike"..._

_(The Bohrok Invasion was compiled from the Official Guide to Bionicle; the book Chronicles 2-3: Beware the Bohrok, and Makuta's Revenge; Graphic Novel 1: Rise of the Toa Nuva, containing Comics 4-8: The Bohrok Awake, To Trap a Tahnok, Into the Nest, What Lurks Below, and The End of the Toa; the serial Wall of History; __the McDonald's Comics 3-4: Secret of the Swarm, and Into the Nest; the Bohrok Online Animations; the fan-made animation Escape from Ko-Koro by PeriAnimatesThings; the fan-made animation Struggle in the Drifts by Vrahno; and the fan-made animation Tunnel Vision by PeriAnimatesThings)_


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